Clinical reportThe importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bonds
Play supports the thinking, social and emotional skills children need to learn.
In this clinical report, the American Academy of Pediatrics explains why play is essential to children's development and to strong parent-child relationships, and why time for free play has been shrinking.
Why the report was written
Children's time for free, child-led play has been reduced by busier family schedules, changes in family structure, and a growing focus on academics and structured enrichment activities, often at the expense of recess. The AAP wrote this report to help pediatricians explain the value of play to families and communities.
What the report says
- Play contributes to children's thinking, physical, social and emotional well-being.
- Through play, children practice sharing, negotiating, solving problems and handling their feelings, and they build confidence as they master new challenges.
- Active play supports physical health.
- When parents join in child-led play, they see the world through their child's eyes and build a closer relationship.
- Simple toys and unstructured time are valuable; children do not need expensive products to learn through play.
Its recommendations
The report gives pediatricians guidance on helping families, schools and communities protect time for play, alongside a balanced amount of structured activity.
What this means for families
Play is how young children learn. That is why our sessions are play-based: a game your child wants to keep playing is the best setting to practice new sounds, words and skills, and it gives you ideas to carry into your own playtime together.
About this source
This is a clinical report, which summarizes expert guidance and existing research. It is not a single experiment, so it does not report new measurements of its own.
The original study
Ginsburg KR; American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Communications; Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health. The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bonds. Pediatrics. 2007.
This page is our plain-language summary, written from the study’s published abstract. The full article belongs to its publisher; some journals require a subscription to read it. This is general information, not medical advice. Talk with a licensed clinician about your own situation. The institution shown is where the lead author worked when the study was published; it does not endorse Speak Live Play.