The importance of play in the psychic development of the child

In our world of adults, children's play can be considered as a single occupation or simple entertainment.

However, we know that the game is the preferred behavior of the child. This is a deep need of his being. Through play, the child builds on all levels: physical, emotional, mental and social.

The game is a crucial factor for development of the child. Indeed, whether it be a purely recreational activity (baby drops his spoon to enjoy the noise and the back of the spoon with his entourage), pretend play where the child is given a role character ("the father and mother," the princess, the school teacher ...), or rule sets (Draughts, dodgeball, barter images ...), all favor and match a learning phase of the child. Each phase is essential to the construction of identity. Games and how the child plays can also assess the level of motor development, intellectual, emotional and social one.


The game is a universal mode of expression. It precedes language. Indeed, even before knowing the words used, the child communicates his feelings, whether positive or negative. Throw an object on the ground, smiling with a character, tearing a drawing, an accident or a fight, these are all actions that the child uses to communicate his feelings. The game is sort of the primary language of the child.

We must not forget that the game has no other purpose than to provide pleasure to the child. But pleasure is the engine of any successful learning. Any deficiency in this area can have very negative consequences on child development. In this sense, the game may even be a form of psychotherapy. The game is for the child a natural and effective way to evacuate their anxieties and overcome his fears.

The game allows children to make sense of a situation and deepen the understanding he has. Children discover which objects, people, events surrounding it and what relationship they have with one another. From this knowledge of the rules governing his environment, he learns to interact with objects and people. The game provides the basis of the adaptability of the child. This will serve him throughout his life. Thus, through play, children discover the world with pleasure and develops its own strategies and adaptation action.

In his play, the child creates his own reality, he transforms and adapts to his wishes. Having no specific procedure or rules to follow, it is the only master on board. It can give life to all objects, to create an imaginary friend, move the inanimate, the plants make them cry, make animals talk, leapfrogging from the time of the caveman to the space age. The child learns to master himself the problems as they arrive. He understands how he can control reality and affect its environment.

From the age of 7, appearing rule sets that allow the child to make contact with others. It gets used to consider the views of others and is learning social life. This is the stage of socialization. At these games, the player must predict what will make his teammates and constantly adjust to the situation. Thus the child learns to make its own decisions independently.

However, attention to learning activities that require too early for the child. This could cause him a reaction saturation or disinterest. Specialists are increasingly faced with parents who are too anxious to succeed in their profession of parents and the child who submit too soon, to a surplus of activities or activities not age-appropriate. This often causes the opposite effect to that intended by the parents.

It is important to let the child be a child ...