Page 14 2023 Spring Home and Garden LINCOLN DAILY NEWS April/May 2023 By Lisa Ramlow When looking to improve the quality of life in outdoor spaces, it is important to remember the kiddos. To a child play is an important part of growing up. Play helps a child learn to get along with others, improve perceptive and emotional well-being, build physical strength, learn about the world around them, and makes them more aware as they resolve problems, overcome difficulties, and participate in tasks that are fun. When children are allowed the time and space to play their imaginations take over and they explore their ideas. Play spaces do not have to be large; they just have to inspire play. Children are natural explorers and different types of play facilitate different types of learning, all necessary for growth. Children need play opportunities as they develop language, motor skills, social skills, and emotional and cognitive abilities. There is no one way to play. Instead, each type of play builds off what the child has already learned and as they learn they should be allowed the time to make memories, laugh, and have fun! So, how do we make a fun play environment for our children? Start from a child’s point of view. Make it simple. If you have to, sit on the floor or crawl around the area to see what the children might see. Children’s furniture, small benches, or even pillows or small sofas or recliners amongst the adult furniture inside the house will give them a space of their own but still feel like part of the family. Discard or put away anything that might be dangerous to the children. Think carefully about how you set up the environment for play so that you are not regularly disturbed while allowing them to play freely in a child-safe space. Arrange the play space wisely. When there is room, set up shelves or furniture to divide the room into different play areas: reading, art center, baby Continued --
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