Get Your Child to Play

In today’s world of personal computers, internet, video games and 24X7 cartoon channels, kids seem to have totally forgotten how to play. All you can see them doing is playing with X-Box 360, watching ‘Beyblade’ or surfing the internet. Though being conversant with the latest things, playstation, internet and cartoons, is good for the child, it should never ever be at the cost of other games. Being glued to their seats, in front of the TV or PC, children have totally abandoned playing.

The result is low energy, lethargy, low mental stimulation and, in many cases, overweight and obesity. Today, it has become the onus of parents to ensure that their kids are spending time playing games, indoors as well as outdoors and indulging in some physical activities too. However, the task is easier said than done and will require much effort on the part of the parents. To help you in getting your children to play, we have provided a number of ideas and tips below. Read them and know how to make your kid play.

Tips on Getting Children to Play

The Right Game

The first thing that you need to do to make your child play is to select the right games for him. If the games are not suited for his age or do not match his interests, you can be sure that he will never ever be interested in playing. In this case, you need to keep the following points in mind.

Know your child well. This will go a long way in selecting the perfect games for him. Otherwise, you might waste your time in making him play, without any resultant benefit.
Keep the age of your child in mind. The games that your child liked as a 2-year old will not interest him when he has attained the age of eight. Keep changing and adapting the games with the growing age of the child.

The Right Environment

Children get inspired very easily, especially from the individuals that belong to the same age group as them. Take you child to such parks and gardens where you find a lot of other kids playing. Encourage him to make friends there. As he watches his friends running around and playing various games, he will be motivated to do the same.

Provide Challenge

Children get bored very easily. It is necessary to introduce them to games that provide some amount of challenge. Too easy games easily tend to become boring and hardly motivate a child to play. At the same time, make sure that the challenge is not too difficult for his age. Otherwise, he might shun the game altogether, for the fear of losing.

Curtail your Own Bad Habits

If a child sees his parents glued to the television or computer at all times, he will follow their example and start doing the same. As we mentioned before, children get influenced very easily. Instead of watching that boring soap opera, why don’t you play a game of chess, carom or scrabble with your child? Not only will you spend quality time with him, but also wean him away from the TV and PC.

Encourage

It is pretty normal and infact, obvious, that your child will not excel at every game. Whether he comes first or last, be happy that at least he participated. If he grimaces at losing, tell him that ‘playing’ is more important than ‘winning’ and that wining and losing are a part of the game. This will encourage him to play even when he does not win every time and also inculcate sportsmanship in him.

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