Play more with your children! Playing with you improves your memory skills and participating in active play benefits your mental health

In Babies and more we have talked on many occasions about the activities we can do with our children to stimulate their development. One of them, and probably one of the most important, is the game, because Through it they not only have fun, but they also learn new things and get benefits.

For example, according to a recent investigation conducted in the United States and Mexico, Children who play with their parents improve their memory skills and participate in active play benefits their mental health.

A few days ago I shared the results of a survey in which we had found that Approximately 75% of children under 12 do not have enough active free play time, such as running or cycling.

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Also, I explained that the game, in addition to being a fundamental right of children, It is a key pillar for childhood development, because it helps them to know the world around them and obtain multiple benefits for their physical and emotional development.

Now, this new research, consisting of three different studies published on the website Center on Media and Child Health The Boston Children's Hospital, and which will soon be available in scientific journals, has found more benefits of children's play in development.

The peculiarity of this research is that unlike other studies that have been carried out to analyze the benefits of play in children, It was carried out simultaneously in two countries, and also, within the child's natural environment: at home and with his family.

The study

Under the name #MorePlayToday (More game today), the Hasbro toy brand is promoting the initiative in which these three studies were conducted and that seeks families to play more. After analyzing the existing research about the benefits of play in children, they conducted their own studies by the Boston Children's Hospital.

According to Center on Media and Child Health, this is the first study of its kind to be carried out in the natural environment of each child who participated in it, whose ages range from two and a half years to eight years. As we discussed earlier, It was performed simultaneously in Mexico and the United States and assessed how different types of games affect children's development.

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The total number of children in both countries was 327, and the information was collected between 2016 and 2018. At the end of the investigations, the following was found:

  • Board games and card games were associated with better school preparation in both countries. In the United States, they were also associated with a broader vocabulary, while in Mexico they were associated with less violent behavior and more positive psychological behaviors, such as being more considerate of other people.

  • Active play was related to an improvement in mental health in children of both countries, as less sadness, anxiety and fears. In addition, in the United States, active gambling was related to less aggressive behaviors and fewer attention problems, while in Mexico it was associated with greater positive behavior.

  • The game with the adults of the family was related to a better memory, particularly in the case of children in the United States, because the more they played with them, they showed a better memory.

  • Letter and number games were related to better school preparation in both countries and in the United States with lower levels of sadness.

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The researchers conclude that in both countries, The key to making children happy and better prepared for school is to have more play in their daily activities., from educational games such as letters and numbers, to more varied ones, such as board games. And of course, something very important: spend time playing with their parents.

We must always keep in mind that Children benefit and learn through play, but in addition to being a powerful reason to play more with them, let's not forget the fun that you can give us enjoying a good afternoon playing and having fun as a family.

Photos | iStock
Via | Red tricycle

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