The Simplicity Parenting Podcast with Kim John Payne #93: How Much Should I Play With My Child
May 19, 2020
A practical look at how much adults should join children's play. Play as a way for kids to process stressful events is explored. Tips on starting play, then stepping back and staying nearby are offered. Guidance on encouraging description without interrupting and helping children become less dependent on adult playmates is discussed.
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Play As Emotional Digestion
- Children play to digest and process the world they absorb from the outside in.
- Play lets them release and make sense of disturbing or confusing experiences without adult instruction.
Health Security Office From A Doctor Visit
- Kim John Payne describes his children turning a refrigerator box into a "health security office" after a pediatric visit.
- They played out forms, grumpy clerks, and long lines for days to process the unsettling experience.
Step Back To Let Play Deepen
- Start play by supporting children's setup, then gradually step back to a nearby, nonintrusive role.
- Stay proximal but avoid re-entering as a central imaginative character so play deepens on its own.