The older we get, the more we forget about the advantages of free play. For your child playing is not simply fun – it's vital. In fact, playing freely is better than anything else they could be doing.

It may sound like an exaggeration, but it’s actually through play that children get to know themselves and the world around them. Often parents feel that they should focus on more organised activities for your child, however, providing your child with the time and opportunity to play freely does the world of good for their development.

Here are some of the benefits of play:

• Playing lets your child take charge and be a leader. They finally get to make the decisions.
• Playing teaches children about context, cause and effect. They get to explore and discover a processes and situations such as how things work, relationships, values, customs and ethics.
• Playing builds confidence and develops your child’s social skills
• Playing helps children express and understand their feelings such as joy, anger and fear, and discover how their feelings affect others.
• Playing stimulates creativity and imagination.
• Playing helps develop basic and advanced motor skills as well as language skills

The benefits of allowing your child to play freely are endless. It really is the most important job in the world – and the most enjoyable one too. Remember to supervise your kiddie, so that they don't come into contact with anything that could be harmful.