Welcome to this video about Watch Me Play!
Watch Me Play! is a simple way for parents or carers to support and enjoy being with their baby or child, aged from birth to around 8 years old.
Play is a very important part of children’s lives. As they play, children find out about the world around them and develop skills for learning. Through the power of play, parents or carers can feel closer to their baby or child and become more confident about understanding them.
Children learn by trying out their own ideas in play. Getting involved in something that really interests them helps children to focus.
Play is a big part of babies’ lives. Babies often like to play with their parent’s or carer’s face, or their body.
In just 5, 10 or 20 minutes, whenever works for the family, parents and carers can help their baby or child to play freely … by getting out a few simple toys or materials … putting away phones, tablets and battery-operated toys, and turning the television off. This way, a parent and their child can focus on play.
Giving all their attention to everything their baby or child does … talking with their baby, or repeating their baby’s sounds … letting their child choose what to do- as long as it’s safe – and talking about what their child is doing – shows a child that their parent is interested.
During this special play time, the baby or child takes the lead, and the parent follows. This kind of play- that’s led by the child – can help parents and children to get to know each other, and feel closer and more confident about their strengths.
Talking about a child’s play with another parent, a friend, a health visitor, or someone at nursery or school, can help adults to understand what’s going on for a child.
A trained Watch Me Play! practitioner can help by watching and talking about a child’s play with their parents or carers – online … or in a room together.
Talking with someone else about their baby or child’s play can help parents or carers notice more about their child’s interests and likes. It may also be helpful if there are worries about a child’s development, or if a family wish to improve the quality of time they spend together with their child.
Through child-led play, and thinking and talking about their child’s play, parents and children can come closer and learn and grow together.
You can find free resources and more information in the Watch Me Play! website: watchmeplay.info
