Having fun as a family and playing games is more than you think. Play has a great deal of value for our children as it helps kids build confidence, feel safe and learn compassion and physical skills. There are two different types play: Structured and Unstructured. Each one is important to a child’s development.
Unstructured Play or free play is a great opportunity for learning and fun. It isn’t planned and lets your child use their imagination and move at their own pace. It can include you or not and often is made up of imaginative games and exploring new and favorite play spaces. Structured Play is organized and includes activities like storytelling at the library or dance, music or drama classes, or even board or card games you play as a family.
According to studies on children’s health, children need an average of 60 minutes of active play every day. Being comfortable with many activities helps build their confidence and that is important for kids to be fit and healthy. Developing agility, balance, coordination and speed in any activity like catching a ball, riding a bike, swimming and skating will help children move comfortably in different environments. Children who learn skills are confident and have fun, and are more motivated to make healthy, active choices throughout their life.
So as kids head back to school and into a routine, here are some ideas, tips and activities to build family fun and play into your schedule, and help you and your children get out, have fun and be active for at least 60 minutes.
Playing games like mirror, mirror teaches kids balance and coordination. Hopscotch helps kids learn rhythm and coordination, and Skip to my Lou teaches dynamic balance. All of these skills make it easy and fun to learn sports, dancing and even martial arts.
The City of Calgary Recreation has lots of options to play as a family. Here are just a few ideas:
• Check out family golf at Richmond Green.
• Organize a family fun pickup game of badminton or basketball in one of the gyms.
• Take a sailing class together and then rent a sailboat for an hour or a day.
• Every week, the arenas around the city have public skating, and the pools have family or public swim times.
• Enjoy the waterparks located at Southland and Village Square Leisure Centres.
• Come to the indoor play parks at Southland and let your imagination go; you never know what the result will be.
When you and your children play together, it is more than play. It is building the skills, habits and motivation for a healthy, active life. The City of Calgary supports play through our programs, and indoor and outdoor facilities. When playing, kids can use their imagination to build their own worlds.
The City of Calgary Recreation and Calgary’s Child are proud to partner this year. We think play is very important for Calgary families. For more information on what’s happing at The City of Calgary Recreation, visit www.calgary.ca/recreation.
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