WHEN DADS PLAY, ROUGH & TUMBLE PLAY WITH OUR KIDS
W
hen the summer sun is shining in the blue sky, it’s easy to head outdoors and roll on the grass with your kids. But what do you do when the cold of a Melbourne winter settles in? If you’re like me, you hide inside where the heaters are warm and cuddle up with the family for TV and popcorn. Now, there’s nothing wrong with some lazy family indoor days but, in winter, kids might be missing out on one of the most important things they need to grow into wonderful and healthy adults: rough and tumble play with their Dad. Dads are amazing at playing with their kids. We love to jump, run, tackle and tickle our kids from the moment they can crawl. And now researchers have discovered that dads don’t just play for fun – we also use play to help our kids develop into awesome adults!
Although the research is still developing, professionals have found that something as simple and enjoyable as playing with your child can have long lasting effects on their life. And you wouldn’t believe the kinds of things that playtime with Dad can help develop.
By David Hawkins
MPT is a professional tutoring service with qualified teachers for Primary & Secondary school aged children. We provide individualised learning plans for all our students and the tutor comes to you. Our tutors specialise in English and Maths, work with children in Prep through to VCE, and we tailor our lessons to suit how each student learns best. MPT is owned and run by Mornington Peninsula local Lauren; who is a qualified primary school teacher and experienced tutor. Lauren is available to chat at all stages of your child’s learning and she works closely with all the tutors to ensure success for each student.
ns’ and ‘study Now offering ‘online lesso packs’ due to covid-19 For more information visit; morningtonpeninsulatutoring.com.au or call Lauren Masciulli on 0401 468 075
32 Peninsula Kids – Winter 2020
Rough and tumble play can help children learn how to manage their emotions. During play kids will go from calm to giggly-screaming hyper-stimulated and then back again in a matter of seconds, which assists them in becoming used to big emotional changes. It has also been linked to children being less aggressive and having fewer behavioural problems as they grow up.