Hey, new moms and dads! Your parenting journey with your cute little one, filled with laughter and pure love from parents, creates memories. But, I swear! You keep enjoying them until your toddler demands an all-time one-to-one session. Toddlers’ everyday routine is mostly filled with playtime. And practically, it’s hard for us, parents, to spend time with them throughout their play. So, I suggest a magical concept that you deserve to know. It’s an idea of independent play!
What’s an Independent Play?
Independent play is the time you create for your child to imagine, explore and cultivate confident creativity - all by themselves. Most importantly, your child will not need you or a nanny to accompany them during independent play. It’s completely their time. During this independent play, toddlers don’t just keep themselves busy. That’s the moment when your little ones try singing their favourite rhymes while colouring, or they stack blocks with deep concentration.
Encouraging your toddler to play independently doesn’t mean leaving them alone with toys. It’s when your toddler learns to trust their own imagination. Also, independent play is the one thing that can make your parenting days calmer, your child more confident, and finally, give you a warm coffee sip.
So, Why is Independent Play Important?
I see modern parents want their kids to be creative yet obedient, confident yet cautious. Sometimes, parenting your toddlers can lead to a tug-of-war between what you want and what they actually love. But independent play materials like Teenyden’s Do sheets offer the perfect connectivity. Here’s how it helps:
Develop Resilience
When you give your child a space for independent play, they come out of comfortable, structured activities. They’ll explore that they don’t always need an external involvement to keep them engaged.
Your child will try to fix a broken toy and might encounter repeated failure. However, when you don’t intervene to help them, they keep trying again and again, and they learn that it isn’t about instant results. No matter if their block tower topples or if there’s a mismatch in the puzzle pieces, they’ll handle it without frustration. And no, it will not be an ordeal for them; this parenting style will foster resilient behaviour in them with patience.
Makes them Socially Independent
So far, your kid would have been dependent on you to validate everything they do. Starting from morning breakfast to bedtime stories, they would have experienced dependable parenting and enjoyed love from parents. But, after letting them play independently, they’ll try to make their own decisions. They’ll start deciding which colour is best for the image.
Independent play helps children explore their preferences over others. And thus, they become socially aware of handling their emotions and enjoy any scenario.
Boosts Imagination
Toddlers’ lives will be full of imagination and creativity. However, the right kind of parenting nurtures them. Here comes the significance of independent play, like giving them Do sheets to work out. It helps them turn their ordinary thoughts into extraordinary imaginations. Yes, they can turn a cardboard box into a car they ride and a teddy bear into a superhero.
When they play independently without your instructions, children dive deep into their imaginative worlds. This type of imagination helps them think outside the box, which in turn supports your parenting.
Build Confidence
Imagine changing a light bulb on your own without relying on an electrician! You’ll feel confident in yourself and will start exploring other things too confidently, right? This is the same that happens when your kids opt for independent play.
When your toddlers figure things out on their own, the victory they taste builds self-trust. Also, it gives them a quiet victory, which urges them to replicate the same on all other toys. Why not? In real-life ventures, too.
Fixes Emotional Regulation
During independent play, your toddler might have planned to build a castle out of blocks, but ended up creating a train. At this time, they’ll get frustrated but will learn to regulate it. Also, this situation will let them understand that it’s okay if something doesn’t go as planned.
With this type of parenting, using independent play, your kids will learn to wait for the right time and manage their emotions accordingly. They will realise they can control their emotions themselves without the need for external consolation.
Encourages Problem-Solving Skills
Parenting your kid with the independent play idea helps them develop problem-solving skills. Yes, they will learn to stay patient and the effect of consistent trials. When they start to fix a jigsaw puzzle, they will uncover the right piece among many others. Initially, they’ll struggle a little, but will somehow figure out how to fix it.
This independent play will make them understand the real art of trying again and again. They’ll learn to analyse the actual scenario and develop the ability to choose the best solutions.
Finally Gives You a Breathing Space
When you think of parenting as a hectic yet joyful commitment, fostering independent play ideas will be a golden fuel to your routine. Yes, you will get a comfortable breathing space that you really yearn for and deserve. Your kids will be engaged in independent play, and you’ll get some minutes to relax, enjoy your coffee or explore social media.
Keeping your kids involved in independent play will bring a perfect balance to your parenting time. The constant demand for attention can be emotionally intimidating. But, with this type of engagement, you’ll have a moment of calm in the storm.
Wrapping Up
As parents, we often express our love for our kids through what we do for them. But sometimes, love is about what we let them do by themselves. Yes, Independent play is an important habit that you must give them. It’s not about stepping away from your child; it’s about helping your child learn a lot.
So next time, give your toddler a Do Sheet from Teenyden and let them play independently with confidence and creativity. No more waiting! Shop your toddlers’ play materials from Teenyden today!
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