Five types of play your child needs

Kids learn best through play (public domain photo)

Grandma knows best. Here's what I know about the value of play for kids. Your child needs more than five types of play. Still, these are vital. Work before play may not always ring true for your child. That's because play is how children learn best. Many parents think of play differently. They may take away toys as punishment or restrict children from making all that wonderful noise that comes with happy playtime. Kids do need rules. They also need fun as a part of the learning process. Here are the five most important types of play your child needs.

Social play

Social play starts with peek-a-boo and ends with dating. Having friends is important for a child's social development. That's right, all that time your teenager spends texting and talking on the phone is actually good for their social skills. Learning to interact with others is vital to your child's success later in life. So make those play dates, tolerate teenage chatter and encourage those tea parties.

Manipulative play

When we think of manipulative toys, we usually associate the term with baby blocks and counting bears. Actually, manipulative play is a need for children of all ages. Building blocks become more complicated and intricate as your child grows. Older kids might like building models. Teens might help Dad work on the car. All this helps kids with spacial relations and problem solving.

Physical play

Getting in shape and staying that way leads to a long healthy life. Your child can get a jump start on physical fitness through active play. Whether it be running, jumping rope, biking, skate-boarding, swimming or something else entirely, get those kids up and moving. Childhood is the best time to make a lifetime habit out of staying physically fit.

Fantasy play

Make believe sets the stage for real life. The more fantasy play your children engage in, the better prepared they will be for real life problems. Playing house, super-heroes and dolls is rehearsal for real life. Even imaginary friends can help your child learn what works in social situations. Don't discourage your child from fantasy play. It will help them with the realities of adulthood.

Structured play

In life, we must all play by the rules. It's what keeps us employed, out of debt and well fed. Games with rules are essential for your child's mental well being. Following simple game rules teaches discipline as well. Start with peek-a-boo and hide and seek. Later on, consider organized sports for team building. Playing by the rules is a lesson kids need at every age.

This post was previously published on Yahoo! by this author.