Why should you choose family games? Discover the multiple psychological benefits of playing as a family and how to help games help your child’s development.
For children, play is a form of expression and communication through which they create emotional bonds, express emotions and learn to know the reality that surrounds them. For this reason the Family games They are an effective way to help the little ones advance their growth while you have a fun time together.
There are a series of psychological benefits for choosing to play games as a family. Within each of these entertaining games, children can learn the dynamics for children that they need so much to be able to evolve mentally and physically. Psychologists highlight the following advantages of opting for games and challenges to do as a family
1. Strengthen bonds
Research has shown that family games from early childhood, strengthen the emotional ties between parents and children. The great benefit is that, when, as parents, we put ourselves at the child’s level through play, understanding his/her world, the child feels that he/she is important to his/her parents, acquires confidence and security in himself/herself and in the emotional relationship that he is building with his family.
The relationship of security and trust is the basis for a harmonious emotional and cognitive development of the child. When parents are able to build a secure relationship with their children, already at an early age, it is proven that emotional and behavioral problems are reduced and children feel happier. Therefore, the family games or family games They are a good option to promote good psychological development in these senses.
3. It has a lot of value for children
We do not have to think that playing with our children is a waste of time, because play for children has an extraordinary and irreplaceable value. Although for you these are games to pass the time, for your child this is a memory that can last for the rest of the years. For this reason, family games are a way to create great experiences within the family.
4. They learn to express their emotions
He family game In addition to reinforcing the emotional ties between parents and children, it allows children to express and share their emotions so, through this, children learn to recognize and express their feelings, to regulate their emotions and to recognize emotional signals and other people’s emotions.
5. They develop the imagination
Furthermore the Family games It also allows the development of children’s imagination, a capacity that will allow them to relate creatively to the real world and function in it with good social skills. Finally, it reinforces attention and concentration, essential functions for good school performance.
These are some of the benefits of sharing Family games In many cases, these moments create more connections between the members of the family and allow good emotional and psychological development within the family nucleus.
How to psychologically take advantage of family games?
Fun games with children can be more beneficial if you try to apply a series of psychological tips to increase their emotional and intellectual development. According to psychologists, you can make these family games and challenges be as follows to increase all the advantages that these provide for your child.
1. Create a routine
For these family games to be effective, you must dedicate playing time with the little boys and girls several times a week. It is essential that you be willing to play with your children The adult’s attitude should not be corrective or excessively directive.
2. Create a calm and relaxed atmosphere
It is important that in these Family games Let the child choose the game. On the other hand, parents should ensure that the toys are appropriate for their child’s age.
3. Choose freedom
In the Family games entertained, it is vital to participate in the game respecting the child’s preferences and times, without imposing or invading.
4. Observe the child’s preferences
Observe your child’s behavior while playing to understand which activity motivates him/her the most and where he/she pays the most attention and interest. In this way, through these Family games To play at home or in other environments, you will be able to check your child’s preferences and be able to help him improve in these aspects.
5. Pay attention to the language they use
The accompaniment and the words serve to create a connection between the children’s emotions and the understanding of these, so that you can reflect the emotions that you believe the child is experiencing at that moment and that he is not yet able to express. For example, if we see our son disoriented because he has fallen while he was playing, we can help him by putting words to his fear, telling him, for example, how scared we see him. Likewise, we can reflect our child’s joy, when we see that, for example, he/she enjoys his/her favorite toy, and thus share this happiness with him/her. This attitude of accompanying the child in recognizing and expressing his emotions will help him to experience them naturally and spontaneously. The child will learn, as he grows, to recognize, express and manage her emotions and will express her moods in an appropriate and coherent way, thus developing greater emotional self-control.
As we see the Family games As an activity shared with parents, it is an enriching experience for both children and parents and the benefits are many for both because: it strengthens the emotional ties between parents and children, improves communication between family members, improves self-esteem in children, facilitates the understanding and expression of their own and others’ emotions, increases attention and concentration as well as reduces stress and tension.
