According to the Child Development Institute, playing with your children adds an important element to their healthy development. Children need to feel special in the eyes of their parents and receive praise and encouragement in order to develop appropriate levels of confidence and self-esteem. Additionally, you can provide valuable lessons that will aid in their social development while teaching your children how to play games.
Step 1
Make kids take turns in the proper order while playing cards or board games. Children don't necessarily have to follow all the written rules of the game, but learning how to wait and allow others to take a turn is a valuable social skill they will utilize as they play with other children.
Step 2
Explain to children as you're playing games that the purpose is to have fun. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children can become overly competitive and even cheat when they feel pressured to win. Preschoolers might not understand the concept of cheating, but school-age kids must be taught the value of fair play to squelch habitual cheating before they develop the habit of relying on cheating as a means to success.
Step 3
Teach one aspect of a game at a time. For example, if you want to teach your child how to play baseball, start by throwing the ball with him for a while. Show him how to hit the ball before teaching him about running the bases. Play baseball in the privacy of your backyard or one-on-one at a ball field before bringing him out for team competition.
Step 4
Spend time reading with your child so she can develop the skills to follow the instructions that come with a game. Read the instructions with your child and talk about each point to make sure she understands the concepts and what is expected. Refer back to the instructions as you play.
Step 5
Laugh when you lose and congratulate your child when he makes a good move. Children learn more from watching how parents react to various situations than any amount of lecturing, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Teach them how to be good sports through example.
Tips and Warnings
- Use game time for fun and together time while encouraging children to develop their imaginations by allowing them to make up stories and rules for games. Follow along with the made-up themes and spend time talking about questions that come up as your child continues with the activity.
- Attend practices and training with young children who become involved in organized sports to make sure your child doesn't become overwhelmed by the instruction. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children under the age of 7 or 8 are not always developmentally ready to participate in team sports, and can become overly frustrated and develop a poor self-image if they're not ready. Show children how to use the mouse and the keyboard on the computer. Sit with your child to preview online games before leaving him to play by himself. According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychology, children must be taught the parameters of online game playing and the inherent dangers of providing personal information to online players and of downloading outside links.
Things You'll Need
- Computer
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