Should a child be encouraged to play on their own? YES!  Play protects children's emotional development. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) a loss of free time in combination with a hurried lifestyle can be a source of stress, anxiety and may even contribute to depression for many children. Regular opportunities for unstructured play are also vital to your child's healthy development.

Today, Parents Ask expert Dyan Eybergen offers tips on ways to encourage independent play:

♣    Store toys within your kids' reach.  
Provide easy access to a variety of age-appropriate toys, including a selection of simple, "old-fashioned" toys that require some imagination. Tupperware, pots and pans, boxes etc.
♣    Rotate your kids toys.
 Occasionally store certain toys away in a closet or in plastic bins. You'll be amazed at how "new" the toys feel to your kids when they see them again!
♣    Model down time. Make it a rule in your household that everyone participates in “ustructured” time for 30 minutes a day – read a book, do a crossword puzzle, make a craft etc. Even with little ones, put them on the floor for a set amount of time everyday while you sit and read a magazine. Get children in the habit of having “free time” to use their imaginations and entertain themselves.
♣    Don’t’ allow the word “bored” in your home. For children who are older and can say the word bored have a jar full of strips of paper with suggested activities written on them. When your kids can’t find something to do, have them choose something from out of the jar.
♣    Limit your child’s exposure to electronics—TV, video games and other sources of electronic entertainment rob children of their imaginations. Reserve these types of activity for when they are necessary—like traveling in a car on long road trips, when you are making supper they can watch their favourite movie, or you need some quiet time of your own.
♣    Compliment your kids when they demonstrate creativity and imagination in their play. Your words of encouragement will help them take pride in their "work."
♣    Encourage creativity by having a box of art supplies on hand for easy craftsmanship. Crayons, colouring books, homemade playdough, fabric, construction paper etc.