“Play provides a beautiful avenue for relating, learning, and just having fun in and of itself,” explains Ashley Case, a pediatric occupational therapist by profession and a full-time mom, in her article published on Motherly: “To the parents who don’t think they’re good at ‘playing’—you are.”

Case encourages parents to play with their children, provides helpful tips in doing so, and references Richard Solomon, MD, founder of The PLAY Project:

“When it comes to playing with a child, often the best way to start is to simply observe. Watch to see what the child enjoys doing—maybe notice how they are playing with a toy or object or how they are using their environment. Once you figure this out, try not to judge or correct what they are doing unless it is unsafe or inappropriate. You could also try commenting on what they are doing (‘oh, you like the way the wheels bounce over the sidewalk’) or imitate them the way another young child might do.

From there, the child will likely show you what to do next. Richard Solomon, MD, founder of The PLAY Project, a play-based early intervention for children with autism, says: ‘when you do what your child loves, he will love being with you.’ This is really what play is all about!“

Read the full article here.