Games as a source of creativity in children

Playful and creative development.

The word playful, comes from the Latin "ludus" which means "game" we can also define it as an adjective that is assigned to everything that is related to the game. Distraction, recreation and its main function is to play, there are studies and learning theories that affirm that the child learns while playing.

Because by playing, the little one is creating learning experiences in which he is the protagonist. It is worth noting that when we talk about games, we are not referring to what they can find behind a screen, but rather the one where the child is the protagonist of their knowledge.

It is through play that the child discovers conflicts for the first time, learns about norms and rules, duties and rights, and best of all, discovers how to solve conflicts that may arise through play.

Creativity in children

Through play, the child develops and stimulates the biochemical structure of his brain, placing him to work, generate ideas and expand his knowledge through learning. We can call this creativity, because while the child plays the neurons fulfill the function of multiplication.

Creativity comes from the word create and when a child plays he is creating possible solutions to future conflicts. But he is also generating new situations that will make him a more self-confident and happier person.

What is the link between playfulness and creativity?

When these two come together, meaningful learning is promoted in the child, because through play the child strengthens his social-emotional environment through play. While creativity fosters knowledge; So what better way to learn than by playing.

When a child plays something great it happens because there is an individual creating, generating and experiencing their own knowledge. Through play the child begins to enhance something we call imagination and imagination is a fundamental factor of creativity, because to create before you have to imagine it in your mind, see it.

When someone plays, they concentrate and their attention is focused on what they are doing in order to generate new ideas that will lead them to the conclusion of the game. In conclusion, the game is much more than a discipline, it is a stage through which the child should go to achieve and build their own future.

What we see when a child plays and what is really going on

As parents we may see that the child who plays is messing up or taking out a trunk of toys that he will not want to put away later. Perhaps it is making a lot of noise, but there is something beyond a momentary disorder.

Your brain is activated, wakes up and begins to create experiences, your cognitive function of learning expands to accommodate new knowledge acquired through play. Their conflict resolution is strengthened, there are new functions such as those of thought and language are expanded or acquired.

It raises all cognitive skills, reading comprehension, real and imagined understanding of your environment, mathematical logic, and more to their maximum potential. It helps him to represent and imitate, express and create, in addition to that his social-emotional area is strengthened.

What happens when you play a lot?

As we mentioned before, the game generates changes in the brain, neural changes, when playing there are substances that our brain releases that promote physical, emotional and cognitive development. Gambling is not an addiction that hurts children, on the contrary, it must be present during the growth stage and even into adulthood.

When we talk about the game, it is necessary to explain that we are referring to the real game, not the one behind a screen. This type of game destroys creativity in excess, because it generates an addiction to pantallismo very similar to drugs, causing the burning of neurons.

Saying that our children play because they have a tablet or audiovisual device is a mistake, there are many types of games, and even outdoors and those are the ones we refer to in this article.

When a child is in front of a TV or a screen is he playing?

Perhaps it is harmful to say it, but no, while you are in front of a movie or series, your neurons are paralyzed they fall asleep, if you are in front of a screen playing, your neurons are supersaturated and if you are in front of people, other children with games, toys or outdoors, their neurons multiply.

As parents we are responsible for generating play and creativity at home, enough of devices that stagnate our little ones, we need to raise healthy socially-emotional children, with built and above all meaningful learning.

Games that we can have at home to encourage creativity

Everything will depend on the age of the infant, but from serialization and classification games, legos, puzzles, soccer balls, bicycles, motor and cognitive skills games, memory games, conflict resolution games and many more.

In some cases you will not need a toy to establish a free game that adds learning and social interaction with the child.