One of the reasons I love working with children is that I get to witness and be part of their endless senses of imagination and creativity. This is most apparent when I have the privilege of entering their worlds of play. I see, when they play, how unique and beautiful each child is, and am reminded that we are ALL unique and beautiful.
We all have a desire to be fully known and fully loved – a testament that we are creatures who desire connection. Adults connect through language and through doing things together, and when we see that a child has the ability to speak and do, we often engage them in this. While children certainly benefit from learning communication skills and trying new things, we actually have a secret passage directly into their worlds; we can enter them through play! Play allows children to explore and process their thoughts and emotions freely, and better understand who they are. Research had shown, time and again, that play fosters children’s cognitive, emotional, and social development.
If there are children in your life, I encourage you to take regular visits to their worlds of play. You will see not only how children can flourish when you connect with them on their level, but also how freeing it can be for you to take a break from your reality and join in the fun.
