Play is your child's primary occupation! Many individuals believe that play is what children do when they are bored, when they are avoiding other activities (such as cleaning their room or doing homework), or that play is simply a waste of time. What we now know and understand is that there is a direct connection between play in childhood and overall development for children of all ages and with all abilities. Play allows children to master basic motor skills, discover the world around them, express creativity, use their imaginations and develop their self-expression, all while participating in something they enjoy!

In today's culture of technology and increased screen time for children, children's opportunities for active and engaging play are limited. Some of the important forms of play that are valuable to a child's development include: free play, symbolic play, cause and effect play, role-play, social play with other children, and imaginative play. These different forms of play are the foundation that more advanced skills are built on. These include future skills related to social interactions, cognitive skills (i.e abstract reasoning, problem- solving), self-awareness and fine motor skills (i.e dexterity, grasp).