The benefits of role-playing to children

I was recently reading an article about the best toys of the 80s, and nostalgically remembered the uber-popular Cabbage Patch Kids – the toy to have in the 1980s. In 1985, Cabbage Patch Kids released its newest arrivals – the Preemies. In line with the fine art of storytelling that all toys of that time seemed to possess, the Cabbage Patch mob claimed the preemies were collected before their time by the stork due to early frost in the Cabbage Patch. Pretty. Darn. Cute.

The box provided information about premature births and how Preemies required special care. They even had their own range of tiny clothing.

Although released almost 30 years ago, the Preemie Collection is still available in limited release today and it’s a great way to help older siblings understand the needs of a preemie.

Role play is an integral part of children’s cognitive development – it encourages imagination, as well as social and language skills. It’s how children learn about their world and how to interact with the people and things in it. When they’re young, kids often don’t have the language skills to effectively express their feelings, but they can do it through play. Looking after a doll can be great practise for helping with a newborn’s needs and introduce concepts like being gentle or staying quiet while the baby is sleeping.

While playing with a doll may seem like just a bit of fun, it’s an excellent way for older siblings to make sense of the changes to their family. Especially if the newest arrival needs special attention from their parents.

Read more about how play can help children feel better about themselves here.