Play impact on a child’s brain development
Play has a significant impact on a child’s brain development. Scientists discovered that play leads to the enlargement of the prefrontal cortex. A child who is exposed to free play has healthier interactions with peers and is brighter because the prefrontal cortex is responsible for some of the core functions of the brain, such as problem-solving, planning, and emotional control. When a child engages in free play, they can initiate games that build up challenging scenarios, scenarios that expose the child to a rigorous thought process. It means that during play, the brain develops new circuits and connections that enable a child to successfully maneuver these complex interactions that arise, and when these neurons of the brain change, brain development takes place.
As described in the first section, play contributes a lot to brain development, especially in the prefrontal cortex. It means that the child can get creative while problem solving, and they get an opportunity to discover new things. Because children often play in groups, they learn how to communicate with each other, and they can develop their language as they continue with their interactions. Children also learn some positive social skills through interaction during play. Through the symbolic playing such as role-playing as doctors or teachers, children can learn how to read and write, and this enhances their literacy. Due to these significant benefits of play, parents are encouraged to expose their children to more free play to enhance overall development.
There are four parenting styles associated with Diana Baumrind: Authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and neglectful. An authoritative parent is warm and responsive, has clearly defined rules, has high expectations of their child, and values their child’s independence. An authoritarian parent is one who is very unresponsive and expects that a child obeys them blindly, has strict rules, and very high expectations. A permissive parent is warm and responsive, has no or few rules, is very lenient, and is very indulgent in their child’s life. A neglectful parent is cold, unresponsive, has no rules, is indifferent and uninvolved. (Baumrind,2013).Looking at the four parenting styles, I think I would say that my parents are authoritative. It is because, despite the fact they have high expectations, they let me make my own decisions and shepherd me along the way to ensure that we all get what we want from each other. As a result, I could say that I am a confident child with excellent social skills and high self-esteem.
Just like in grown-ups, children experience stress, and the effects are much the same across age except that for children, it leads to stunted growth because children are still developing. Stress could lead to anxiety and other mental illnesses, and it could also affect a child’s social skills and interaction with other children.
Works Cited
Baumrind, D. (2013). Authoritative parenting revisited: History and current status.