The Power of Play: You Are Their First Playmate
As a parent playing with your child, you can reap endless benefits not only for your little one but also for you. Being joyful with your child will bring you closer together. In addition, you are laying a foundation for their future wellbeing.
The Power of Play and Stress
When your child sings, dances, and plays games, their body releases endorphins which promote a feeling of wellbeing. It can help protect children from stress and encourage physical and mental health.
The Power of Play and Working Through Difficult Emotions
Children can express many different emotions through their play. They may not be able to talk about it, but can play it out with dolls or other figurines. Witnessing an argument between two people may stay with them until they play it out. Losing a loved one like a grandmother can help them cope in their playtime through creative expression.
As a parent when you play with your children, you can learn what is bothering them, scaring them, or worrying them.
The Power of Physical Play
Not only does physical play outside help them develop motor skills, it also helps prevent obesity, along with building confidence. Sliding down a playground slide for the first time by themselves builds self-confidence, and they can learn teamwork when introduced to organized sports.
Playing outdoors:
- Improves a child’s attention span
- Lets children use their senses to learn balance
- Studies show the more outside play time, the more academic success
The Power of Playing Team Sports
It’s true, sports boosts mental health. Taking part in team sports has a higher impact on mental health than playing individual sports.
More thoughts on this topic:
- A study in Norway found that teens who played team sports were less likely to smoke cigarettes or marijuana. They found less addiction.
- Exercise improves symptoms of depression. It is as effective as antidepressant meds.
- They reduce the risk of teen substance abuse.
- Team sports lowers rates of stress, anxiety, and depression.
- It enhances resilience, empathy, and confidence
- Children and teens have improved sleep, which is essential for mental health.
- Whether a child is playing tag or a teen is playing sports on a team after school, these are all beneficial activities to promote mental health through recreation and leisure activities.
The Power of Artistic Creation
Art can be a valuable tool for teens struggling with anxiety, offering a calming and meditative outlet for emotions, promoting self-expression, and fostering a sense of accomplishment.
- The act of creating art can be therapeutic, allowing teens to slow down and focus on the present moment, which can help reduce anxiety and promote relaxation.
- Art provides a safe space to express difficult emotions that may be hard to articulate verbally, helping teens process and manage their feelings.
- Studies have shown that engaging in art can lower cortisol levels, a stress hormone, in the bloodstream.
Self-Expression and Self-Esteem:
- Art provides a creative outlet for self-expression, allowing teens to explore their inner thoughts and emotions through a non-verbal medium.
- Completing a creative project can instill a sense of accomplishment and pride, boosting self-esteem and confidence, which can counteract feelings of anxiety and self-doubt.
- Positive feedback from others can further enhance the positive impact on self-esteem.
Cognitive Benefits:
- Art can enhance cognitive abilities, foster greater self-awareness, and help students regulate their emotions.
- The creative process can provide a mental break from other stressors in their lives, allowing for a clarity of thinking and focus.
Contact Advanced Telepsych, PLLC if your child or teen is showing symptoms of anxiety or depression. We can help. We see patients via telehealth in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Florida.
Laura Somerville, MSN, APRN, PMHNP, BC
Laura Somerville is a Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) specializing in the mental health treatment of children, adolescents, and young adults and has immediate openings. Contact Advanced TelePsych, PLLC to schedule a consultation with Laura today!
