One of the concerns that I have with my daughter is that when we give her the iPad to use primarily for learning, she doesn’t want to let go of it. She cries and goes into a tantrum whenever we try to take the gadget away from her. The problem that we have as a couple is that we know that technology is an important part of how we live today. It is said that 36% of Filipinos have about 10 gadgets per household*, thus making the use of gadgets a necessity for daily living (Survey conducted by Microsoft Philippines in 2011). But, honestly and personally, I don’t think it’s doing her good at this point in time.
I have always known, through workshops that I attended before, that playing is an integral part of teaching your child. It is through active sensory play when all their five senses are awakened to discover and learn the world around them. This has been proven by Johnson’s baby in a social experiment to see how children respond to gadget play versus real play.
But of course, if you are a busy mom, it’s so easy to get tempted to just give them a gadget so that you can go on and do your daily chores. I attended the Johnson’s #playforreal event recently and I am thankful that I was again reminded that there are a lot of instances where sensory play can be incorporated into our daily lives. Playing need not be so planned out. It need not always be timed or “scripted”. You can play with your child during bath times, during times when you need to change their diapers or even during potty training times.
“As a brand committed to the happy, healthy development of children, we at Johnson’s believe that every activity that a child does can mean so much more to him,” says Trina Tanlapco, Johnson’s Associate Marketing Director. “Active play is integral and essential in the holistic development of children to let them discover the world around them. As a brand, this is something we would like to keep reminding parents of. With the information and products we offer, parents can let their children turn playtime to a time of learning while they #playforreal. ”
During the event, I saw how Zeeka enjoyed active and sensory play. I saw her just dive into a pail of paint and just at creating a beautiful masterpiece with her hands (which we oftentimes see as just mess… haha!). I saw her play with water and I just let her be, even if she was soaking wet. Oftentimes, it is so hard for us parents to see all of these mess, but this is how our children will get to learn about the world around them. Monica Javier, a teacher who has worked with preschool children for more than ten years, says that active sensorial play help children prepare for bigger things ahead of them which is why it is encouraged to be integrated in early education. “More than fun and entertainment, play actually helps children to expand their knowledge about themselves, allows communication with others, develop new competencies that may prepare them for challenges of the bigger environment.”
Make playtime more fun for your kids. Don’t worry about the mess. Don’t worry about the noise that they will make. Make your kids #playforreal so that they grow up to be inquisitive, creative, talented, confident and responsible citizens! To learn more about how you can do sensory play at home or in your school, visit https://www.facebook.com/JohnsonsBabyPhilippines.
