Parenting Methods: Why Parents Should Add Active Play to Their Parenting Toolkit Parenting Playtime Fun With Dad

Out of four basic parenting styles – authoritative, uninvolved, permissive and authoritarian – come a variety of parenting methods. The end goal of all: To raise a self-sufficient, contributing adult. 

There are core elements all parenting methods need for young children to develop and grow. The core parenting elements are:

• Being responsive to children’s needs.

• Exposing children to real experiences and diverse peoples.

• Providing active play. 

Play is a parent’s tool and ally. Active play with a variety of open-ended, real materials and toys plus multi-sensory experiences creates an enriched environment, one filled with learning opportunities! 

When a child is engaged in active play they are integral to the play. It requires their effort. Contrast that with passive play. The kind of play received via screens – toys based on blockbuster movies or many so-called educational toys. With pre-defined roles, there’s no need for creativity or imagination. Additionally, children essentially are spectators to the screen action. Passive play requires little or no effort and has little or no real value to the parent’s end goal. 

Include play in your parenting toolkit!

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