为什么象征性游戏很重要？

为什么象征性游戏很重要？

象征性游戏教会孩子使用结构化思维、创造力和想象力来观察、理解和模仿周围环境 (8)。 这种能力对于克服冲动和有思想驱动的行为至关重要，这反过来又有助于孩子在生活的其他方面发展，例如以下方面。

1. 认知发展：当蹒跚学步的幼儿进行象征性游戏时，他们会了解现实生活中的情境和创造性的处理方式。 这种学习增强了他们的分析思维，帮助他们找到解决问题的方法并克服障碍。 象征性游戏为孩子提供了通过行动进行实验和学习的机会。

2. 语言发展：符号游戏教会孩子符号功能。 这意味着孩子学会了一个物体可以用作代表其他物体的符号。 例如，字母被用来象征声音，文字被用来象征情感。 这种学习对于孩子建立词汇、识别物体并将其用作符号、学习手势并将其用于交流以及按照特定顺序遵循/给出口头指示至关重要 (9)。

3. 社会情感发展：大多数孩子沉迷于与玩伴一起的虚构活动（同伴游戏）。 它允许他们分享想法、想象和创造故事、谈判、轮流和分配角色。 然后，根据故事的要求，他们转换角色或领导并像成年人一样行事。 所有这些属性都有助于孩子变得更加熟练地控制情绪并负责任地行事。 此外，当孩子计划一个故事并将其付诸实践时，可以缓解他们的压力并增强自尊和自信。

4. 运动发育：年仅八个月大的婴儿会挑选物体并尝试模仿其他人正在做的事情。 这些活动提高了他们的精细和粗大运动技能。 然后，随着婴儿的成长，他们开始拾取、拿着和堆叠物品（例如积木），一个接一个地创造物体，进一步提高他们的运动技能。

由于象征性游戏有利于整体发展，因此鼓励您的孩子从小就沉迷于象征性游戏非常重要。 以下部分分享了一些与他们打交道的有用技巧。

Why Is Symbolic Play Important?

Symbolic play teaches a child to observe, understand, and mimic their surroundings using structured thinking, creativity, and imagination (8). This ability is essential to overcome impulsiveness and have a thought-driven behavior, which, in turn, helps children develop in other aspects of their lives, such as the following.

1. Cognitive development: When toddlers engage in symbolic play, they learn about real-life situations and creative ways to deal with them. This learning boosts their analytical thinking, which helps them find solutions to problems and overcome hurdles. Symbolic play provides a child with an opportunity to experiment and learn through action.

2. Language development: Symbolic play teaches a child about symbolic function. It means a child learns that one object can be used as a symbol to represent something else. For instance, letters are used to symbolize sounds and words to symbolize emotions. This learning is crucial for a child to build vocabulary, identify objects and use them as symbols, learn about gestures and use them for communication, and follow/give verbal instructions in a specific order (9).

3. Social-emotional development: Most children indulge in make-believe activities with play companions (peer play). It allows them to share ideas, imagine and create a story, negotiate, take turns, and assign roles. Then, as the story demands, they switch roles or take leads and behave as adults do. All these attributes help a child become more skilled with emotional control and act responsibly. Also, when a child plans a story and acts it out, it can ease their stress and boosts self-esteem and confidence.

4. Motor development: A baby as young as eight-month-old picks objects and tries to imitate what the other person is doing. Such activities refine their fine and gross motor skills. Then, as the baby grows, they begin picking, holding, and stacking items, such as blocks, one over the other to create objects, further polishing their motor skills.

Since symbolic play can benefit the overall development, it’s important to encourage your child to indulge in symbolic play from a young age. The following section shares some helpful tips for getting involved with them.