Play Central Offers Wintertime Fun for Kids and Parents

By Mary Beth Garvey, LMSW, Clinical Therapist

Q: I would like to find some socialization opportunities for my young children this winter.  Any suggestions?

A. You'll be interested to know that The Family Center offers children and parents an excellent opportunity for socialization through their weekly Play Central drop-in centers which run from November through April!

The typical child is very active and their energy can seem infinite. During our long Michigan winters, it can be a great relief for parents to have a place where children can climb, ride tricycles, push trucks, run with peers, throw a ball, skip, hop and jump. Play Central provides a great venue for children to burn off some energy with their peers while their parents or caregivers socialize with other adults.

Play Central offers other significant benefits, as well.  Group play allows children to explore their surroundings, develop an understanding of their place in the world with wants and needs that are different from others, to grow physically and emotionally, and to practice their socialization and communication. For parents, it is an opportunity to connect with other parents around shared experiences and concerns, provides a break from the demands of child care, normalizes the struggles inherent to new parenting and decreases feelings of incompetence that can come with isolation.

Group settings allow parents to experience their children in new ways, enhancing their understanding of their children's competencies and limitations.  Observing their child's temperament, strengths and weaknesses allows parents the insight to guide their child in social settings. Children who have good social skills receive a lot of positive feedback from the adults and children with whom they interact. As a result, these children tend to have more positive self-regard.  

Through play, children take in their environment, what objects surround them and what people they can engage. As they become more aware of their surroundings, children start to put things into patterns and develop their own understanding of their world.  Playgroups allow children to enhance their autonomy, investigate the world and learn new social skills while their parents are close by to reassure them and provide security.

Sociability goes hand-in-hand with the preschool years.  Between the ages of two and five, solitary play is gradually replaced by parallel play, which involves children playing in similar activities near each other but not with each other.  The 3-5 year old stage often begins with children learning to share and take turns.  The progression typically involves an increased desire to play with others, more interactive and imaginative play, greater self-reliance, positive feelings about their families and others, and a growing ability to cooperate. They begin to learn what is socially acceptable and unacceptable. By playing with other children, kids have another context for understanding the social rules and manners that parents have begun to teach them at home. Parents can teach mutual respect and caring about others by encouraging social interest.
    
Mary Beth Garvey, LMSW, is a member of The Family Center Board and a Clinical Therapist who works with children, adolescents and adults.

The Family Center
20090 Morningside Dr.
Grosse Pointe Woods, MI  48236

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The Family Center is a 501c3 non-profit community organization that depends on donations.
To volunteer or contribute, visit familycenterweb.org or call 313.432.3832.