
How Play Supports Brain Development in Preschoolers
Play is one of the most effective ways to support your child’s development—and it’s fun! I’ve seen time and again how play nurtures every aspect of a child’s growth, particularly in the critical early years when their brains are developing at an incredible rate.
The Science of Play and Brain Development
In the first five years of life, a child’s brain forms more than a million neural connections every second. These connections are shaped by experiences, and play provides some of the richest, most stimulating experiences a child can have. Whether it’s a game of hide-and-seek, pretend play, or building with blocks, every playful interaction strengthens the brain’s pathways and helps children develop essential skills.
Play also reduces stress, which is vital for healthy brain development. When children feel safe and happy during play, they are more open to learning and exploring.
Cognitive Benefits of Play
Building Problem-Solving Skills
Activities like puzzles, building towers with blocks, or sorting objects by size and colour challenge children to think critically and solve problems. These activities stimulate the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for planning and decision-making.
Try this: Encourage your child to build a tall tower with wooden blocks. When it falls, ask them what they think happened and how they might make it stronger. This helps them learn through trial and error while developing persistence.
Encouraging Imagination and Creativity
Pretend play engages the brain’s creativity centres, supporting abstract thinking and flexibility. When children pretend to be chefs, doctors, or astronauts, they’re not just having fun—they’re practising real-world problem-solving and social roles.
Try this: Set up a pretend shop with items from around the house. Give your child play money and take turns being the customer and shopkeeper. This activity helps with counting, role-playing, and communication skills.
Boosting Language Skills
Play is a natural way for children to develop their language. Whether they’re chatting with a teddy bear during a tea party or negotiating the rules of a game with friends, they’re learning new words and practising conversation.
Try this: Read a story together and then act it out with toys or costumes. Ask your child open-ended questions about the characters or plot to encourage storytelling and vocabulary building.
Social and Emotional Growth Through Play
Understanding Emotions
Play gives children a safe space to express and explore their emotions. For example, a child might use a toy to act out being scared or happy, helping them better understand and manage their own feelings.
Try this: Use dolls or action figures to act out different emotions. For example, “This teddy is feeling nervous about starting school. What can we do to help?” This encourages empathy and emotional problem-solving.
Building Social Skills
Group play helps children practise cooperation, sharing, and taking turns—all critical skills for forming friendships and working in teams.
Try this: Organise a simple board game or group activity, like building a Lego structure together. Emphasise teamwork by encouraging everyone to contribute ideas.
Fostering Resilience
When a tower falls or a game doesn’t go as planned, play teaches children to manage disappointment and try again. This builds resilience and self-confidence.
Try this: Play games with small challenges, like balancing on one foot or building something quickly. Celebrate effort rather than success to reinforce a growth mindset.
Physical Play and Brain Development
Physical play not only develops motor skills but also enhances brain function. Running, jumping, and climbing improve coordination and balance, which are linked to better focus and learning.
Try this: Create an obstacle course in the garden or living room. Include activities like crawling under a table, hopping on one foot, or throwing a ball into a bucket. This kind of play builds gross motor skills and enhances spatial awareness.
Fine motor activities, such as threading beads or drawing, help with precision and hand-eye coordination.
Try this: Provide materials like playdough, crayons, or buttons for sorting and threading. These activities prepare children for writing and other fine motor tasks.
Types of Play and Their Benefits
Free Play
Unstructured play allows children to follow their own interests and develop independence.
Try this: Offer open-ended toys like building blocks, playdough, or art supplies, and let your child lead the way.
Guided Play
In guided play, you set up an activity but let your child take control of how they engage with it.
Try this: Set up a nature treasure hunt. Give your child a list of items to find, like a leaf or a smooth rock, and let them explore at their own pace.
Social Play
Playing with others helps children learn how to navigate social dynamics.
Try this: Organise a playdate or join a local playgroup. Simple games like “Simon Says” are great for teaching cooperation and communication.
Active Play
Physical activities strengthen the brain-body connection and promote overall health.
Try this: Make an obstacle course around the house and let children climb over and under objects and furniture.
Playful Tips to Support Whole-Brain Development
- Prioritise Playtime: Ensure your child has plenty of free and structured play opportunities.
- Offer Variety: Provide a mix of physical, creative, and social play activities to engage all areas of development.
- Join In: Play alongside your child to model skills, build your bond, and show that you value their play.
- Encourage Outdoor Play: Nature offers endless opportunities for exploration and physical activity, which are great for the brain.
- Celebrate Effort: Focus on praising your child’s effort and creativity rather than the outcome, building their confidence and resilience.
The Whole-Brain Benefits of Play
Play is at the heart of a preschooler’s development. By providing opportunities for a variety of playful experiences, you can help your child develop the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills they need to thrive. So next time your child invites you to join their game, know that you’re doing much more than having fun—you’re helping them grow into a confident, capable learner with a love of life.
We believe in the power of a Balanced Play Diet. Giving children a healthy mix of activities will help them develop holistically.
Find out more about our Balanced Play Diet approach.