The importance of play

There are few activities that teach a child as much as… playing! It is in the midst of play that concepts as important as gender equality are subtly taught, by allowing a sister to play with her brother's workbench while he irons clothes on his toy ironing board.

Playing pretend often reveals a child's perception of their own reality, that is, their daily home life. If a child, while playing, constantly imitates their mother or father on the phone and repeats expressions like "I can't right now" or similar phrases, they are, in their own way, expressing that they frequently feel their parents are unavailable.

One should observe (and participate in!) children's play with a keen sense of what their actions, even in the realm of fantasy, may represent. It is in this space, free from rules and without barriers of time and space, that your child will genuinely demonstrate what brings them the greatest happiness and also the greatest concern .

Joke or reality?

Children are increasingly caught up in the fast-paced lifestyles of their parents and end up sharing the same sense of stress that the daily rush causes in adults, and which is reflected in the younger generation.

Having time to play for more than 10 minutes at a time is a luxury these days, and for children, playing with their parents symbolizes much more than that. It represents quality time, availability, and concern . For parents, it's a unique opportunity to pay attention to their children's skills and interests, which can and should be encouraged.

This is not necessarily the same as encouraging enrollment in countless extracurricular activities that leave children exhausted and overwhelmed with so much information after a long day at school (in the vast majority of cases).

The importance of extracurricular activities in developing certain skills or aptitudes in children is undeniable. Whether it's making new friends and thus working on social skills, developing motor skills in sports or more physical activities, or working on cognitive development with artistic activities (music, theater, painting, etc.), extracurricular activities are a great asset. But in excess, they have the opposite effect.

As an article from CUF explains here , the lack of free time, combined with a fast-paced lifestyle, can be a source of stress, anxiety, and even depression. According to a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics , cited in the aforementioned article, nothing stimulates a child's emotional development more than play .

Having time to do nothing, to be bored, is crucial – for adults and children alike. Most of the time, parents are so focused on reducing children's boredom that they don't realize how important downtime is, what clinical psychologist and child development specialist Diane Ehrensaft calls "nothing."

The best Christmas gift

Now that Christmas is approaching, a time traditionally dedicated to family, it's always good to remember the campaign launched by IKEA in 2014, specifically during this festive season. It was titled " The Other Letter " and involved 10 families who participated in an experiment with an unexpected outcome.

Children aged 4 to 9 were asked to write a letter requesting lots of toys from the Three Wise Men and another letter addressed to their parents with what they would like to receive from them. Most of the letters to their parents included requests such as: more time with them, more time to play or have fun.

Finally, the children were told that they could only send one of the letters, and they did not hesitate to send their parents' letter, thus highlighting the importance they place on the time they spend together, as well as the subjectivity of material desires.

And you, what are you going to give your child this Christmas?