Renowned children's education expert Professor Chen Guomei once said: "For parents educating young children, the first priority is to cultivate good living habits, and the second is to engage in parent-child games with them." Parent-child games can effectively promote emotional exchanges between parents and children, strengthen family bonds, and contribute to the healthy development of children. So, how can we conduct scientific parent-child games? What are the necessary conditions? What issues should be noted? How should game time be controlled? Here are 12 small tips for playing parent-child games with your child:
1. Establish an equal playmate relationship
When playing games with children, don't adopt an authoritative attitude or even set a pace, as this may make it difficult for children to continue playing. Establishing an equal playmate relationship with your child represents the highest realm of parent-child games, which can better motivate the child’s enthusiasm for the game. Through imitation and creative participation, children can learn to handle things correctly. Playing parent-child games is not like attending class; parents should not act superior or give orders but should participate in the game and maintain an equal status with their child.
2. Let the child be the master of the game
Games are the best way for children to learn and the optimal training method for cultivating good character and behavior. Parents should not measure their child's gaming behavior based on their own value orientations, artificially restricting the child's gaming methods, or forcing the child to play games they dislike just so they can “learn” “knowledge.”
Parents should especially respect the self-created game content of their children and cherish their creative expressions. Only when the child encounters problems that they cannot solve during the game or problems that may have adverse effects on them should parents intervene and guide the child.
3. Conduct games according to the child's age characteristics
Children of different age groups have different interests and passions for different games.
Parents should guide children of different age groups to play games suitable for them as much as possible, which will not only interest them but also help develop their intelligence and imagination.
4. Cultivate good gaming habits
Good gaming habits will have a crucial impact on a child's growth. Letting the child learn to follow game rules and reasonably arrange game time, etc., these good gaming habits are the best way for children to understand social behavioral rules.
After playing with toys, let the child clean up themselves and return items to their original place. Game time should be moderate, not endless, and should not interfere with eating, sleeping, etc.
5. Create a good gaming environment
Anything new and strange will make children curious. Driven by curiosity, children will learn and grow through game activities. First, parents should create a good gaming environment. The parent-child environment created by parents should allow children to see, hear, touch, fully perceive, and experience. For example, parents can set aside a corner for their child, separate it with cloth, or use recycled materials to create a special gaming environment for the child.
6. Give the child the right to play alone
Sometimes, children do not always need someone to accompany them as we imagine; they also need their own space. Even children of just a few months can enjoy playing with their little hands and feet, experiencing the joy of solitary play.
While conducting parent-child games, parents should take advantage of opportunities to encourage independent play in their children. When the child plays quietly without crying or making noise, do not disturb the child. Give them a little time and space of their own appropriately.
7. Provide timely assistance when the child needs help
Games are the best way for children to find answers on their own. When children are enthusiastic about gaming activities, they may make some rather unusual requests. At such times, parents should not ignore or restrict them because they think the gaming activity is meaningless, but should try to help them as much as possible. Do not constrain them out of fear that they might dirty their clothes or cause other problems. There needs to be a balance when providing help to children. For example, when the child encounters difficulties in the game, parents should give the child the opportunity to solve the problem themselves. Only when the child truly cannot solve it should some help be given. This way, the child can experience life and learn to think through various activities.
8. Actively participate in the child's game and focus on mutual cooperation
Parents should actively participate and naturally stimulate the child's intellectual development. The designed games should make the child actively seek the cooperation of the parents, so that the parents can teach the child some knowledge and skills accordingly.
9. Balance entertainment and education
If parents only recognize the entertainment aspect of games and neglect the educational aspect, parent-child games can become a form of spoiling the child. For example, some parents blindly obey their children, allowing them to ride on their backs when asked.
10. Provide a variety of gaming materials for the child
Such as small pieces of paper, seeds, soil, small scissors, building blocks, water, sand, coloring materials, empty cardboard boxes, etc., letting them use their brains while playing.
11. Choose games that bring fun
The entire process of the game should bring joy to both the child and the parents. Let the child feel the happiness of creation and success in the game, while the parents can experience the happiness of parent-child communication.
12. Vary the game styles
Parents should learn more games and integrate specific functional parent-child games into daily childcare life. In this way, in a rich and joyful childcare life, the child's potential can be continuously developed.
In summary, parents should learn more parent-child games, introduce games into the home, transforming the family into a harmonious parent-child classroom and a healthy, happy growth paradise, where young children can develop their potential, cultivate their personality, enrich their minds, and refine their sentiments through games, truly achieving comprehensive and harmonious development.