Sometimes we’re quick to tell our little ones not to roughhouse. You want them to be safe and don’t want any injuries. But there is a very big difference between aggressive play and rough & tumble play. We are all about safe rough & tumble play because it has SO many developmental benefits for your little one! For example, did you know that roughhousing can make your child SMARTER? You read that right!
There are so many different kinds of Rough & Tumble play! Some will definitely surprise you!
Here are just a few:
- Dancing
- Hopscotch
- Climbing up and jumping off
- Wrestling
- Play fighting
- Roughhousing
- Tickling
- Tag
- Football
- Duck-Duck-Goose
Here are 5 Benefits of Rough & Tumble Play from our Friends at Flintobox:
1. Kids learn healthy risk-taking
Let kids do the unimaginable and feel accomplished when they climb a tree or jump high. Give them freedom to try new things rather than constantly telling them about the hazards and forcing them to live in fear.
Let children assess danger and understand when to push limits and when to hold back. When kids engage in healthy risk taking, they get a better understanding of their limits and capabilities.
2. Develop physical bond.
Physical contact is an important part of close relationships, provided it evokes positive feelings. If two children or siblings want to roll over one another or piggyback on each other, it’s a great bonding exercise. Yes, provided they can balance well and not hurt each other.
Let pillow fights, pulling hair, or ticking each other be part of the growing up process. After all relationships are not just conversations, touch and playing in close contact should be encouraged. They play an important role in strengthening bonds between kids.
3. Learn emotional intelligence
It’s during rough play kids realize what fun is and what can hurt. They can judge other kids’ reactions, expressions—are they enjoying or getting hurt? Children learn to address the emotional needs of other kids, they learn when to stop and how to discover new means of adrenaline rush.
With increased emotional intelligence, children better relationships with others, can focus more in studies and other activities, and learn to regulate their emotions.
4. Exercise for mind and body
With rough play, one can reap physical benefits-build strength, exercise muscles, improve gross motor skills, increased flexibility, hand-eye coordination, and better body and emotion control.
5. It’s pure fun
How many toys can you buy and how many times children can sit in one place and play? Rough play actually is easy fun. Children do have a lot of fun in the process. There’s something exciting about free play when they can hold, push, throw themselves, etc.[1]
We LOVE Rough & Tumble Play at Gymboree Play & Music! Find a Site Near You!
- Bhatnagar, Ekta Sharma. “Rough and Tumble Play and It’s 5 Benefits for Kids.” Flintobox. https://flintobox.com/blog/child-development/5-benefits-of-rough-play-for-kids
