Question

Most teachers do not allow rough and tumble play in their classrooms or outdoors. Do you think there are benefits to rough and tumble play? Are there elements that you are sure about?

Answer 1

Young childrens in all cultures engage in rough and tubmble plays.Rough-and-tumble play is spontaneous and extremely fun for children. This is quite evident by their smiles and laughter when engaged in this type of play. Rough-and-tumble play is social play that involves physical contact, positive emotions, shared stories, and vigorous activities such as jumping, swinging, chasing, and play fighting.

Rough-and-tumble play helps children learn self-control, compassion, boundaries, and about their own abilities compared to other children.Benefits of rough and tumble Play:

• Chasing games exercise children’s bodies as well develop social skills.

• Children independently problem-solve and self-correct in order to remain with the group activity

• Children learn how to adjust to change in the play scheme and assess how their playmates respond to those changes.

• Children learn to show care and concern when a playmate falls and to express their thoughts to others in a game

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) initially discouraged rough-and-tumble play but later recognized that it is acceptable. However, most teachers do not.Parents and teachers worry that rough-and-tumble play will escalate into real fighting. However, rough-and-tumble play leads to real fighting less than 1% of the time for preschoolers.

Most children know that rough-and-tumble play is not real fighting. Therefore, they act appropriately in order to sustain the play. As children get older, they get better at distinguishing between real fighting and rough-and-tumble play. This is also true for children with learning disabilities.

Rough and Tubmle play can be acceptable with a monitoring of teachers and parents:

• Ensure rough-and-tumble play remain safe.

• Share information to parents about rough and tumble play

• Encourage parents to engage in rough-and-tumble play with their children.

• Use rough-and-tumble play to start a dialog with fathers. Since rough-and- tumble play often comes naturally for fathers, it is an easy way for teachers to start a conversation with fathers. Support fathers’ engagement in other activities such as reading and household routines