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LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HOSPITALS Public Information Series Child’s Play This public document is published at a total cost of $000.00. ?,000 copies of this public document were published in this first printing at a cost of $000.00. This document was published by the Department of Health and Hospitals Office of Public Health to disseminate information underauthority of P.L. 95-627, Sec. 17 (b)(1). This material was printed in accordance with the standards for printing by state agencies established pursuant to R.S. 43:41. Check playgrounds for safety. Make sure there are no sharp pieces, loose equipment or other things that might hurt your child. Hold your child’s hand when crossing the street or other times when injury is a risk, such as when walking past other children using swings. Have your child wear a helmet when cycling, skating or using a scooter. If you are participating too, you should be a good role model and wear a helmet as well. If it is sunny, have your child wear a hat and sunscreen rated at least SPF 15. If there are mosquitoes, use insect repellant unless your child is less than two months old. Do not use repellant with higher than 30-percent DEET content. “USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer” Without the opportunity to play with others, a child will grow up without the social skills needed to be successful in school, work or private life. As a parent, you should provide frequent opportunities for your three- or four-year-old to play with others. Below are some ideas for ways to socialize your child. If your child attends a day care or preschool, make sure there are other children there his or her own age and that playing together and sharing are both encouraged. If you know other families with a preschooler, set up playdates for your children to play together. Go to a playground, park or other space where your child can meet other children and play together. When you are interacting with other adults, including during meal times, include your child and encourage them to interact. Playing Outside Playing outdoors is a wonderful way for your child to enjoy nature and be physically active without worrying too much about hurting items in your home. In addition to playing on their own with toys or on a playground, there are lots of playful activities you can do together with your child. Watering the garden and picking vegetables Playing chase on soft grass Blowing and chasing bubbles Visiting a park or the zoo Drawing on the sidewalk with chalk Keeping Safe While Outdoors Playing outdoors has lots of benefits, but parents should take special care with preschoolers while outside. Keep an eye on your child at all times. Do not leave your child alone near water. Empty all water containers, like buckets or children’s swimming pools, immediately after use. Now that your child is a preschooler, they are more active and social. Preschoolers learn and develop by playing, so now it’s time to have fun together and with others! Rev. 6/2015

Child’s Play ·  · 2018-03-14of playful activities you can do together with your child. Watering the garden and picking vegetables Playing chase on soft grass Blowing and chasing

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LOUISIANA DEPARTMENTOF HEALTH & HOSPITALS

Public Information Series

Child’s Play

This public document is published at a total cost of $000.00. ?,000 copies of this public document were published in this first printing at a cost of $000.00. This document was published by the Department of Health and Hospitals Office of Public Health to disseminate information underauthority of P.L. 95-627, Sec. 17 (b)(1). This material was printed in accordance with the standards for printing by state agencies established pursuant to R.S. 43:41.

�� Check�playgrounds�for�safety.�Make�sure�there�are�no�sharp�pieces,�loose�equipment�or�other�things�that�might�hurt�your�child.

�� Hold�your�child’s�hand�when�crossing�the�street�or�other�times�when�injury�is�a�risk,�such�as�when�walking�past�other�children�using�swings.

�� Have�your�child�wear�a�helmet�when�cycling,�skating�or�using�a�scooter.�If�you�are�participating�too,�you�should�be�a�good�role�model�and�wear�a�helmet�as�well.

�� If�it�is�sunny,�have�your�child�wear�a�hat�and�sunscreen�rated�at�least�SPF�15.

�� If�there�are�mosquitoes,�use�insect�repellant�unless�your�child�is�less�than�two�months�old.�Do�not�use�repellant�with�higher�than�30-percent�DEET�content.

“USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer”

Without�the�opportunity�to�play�with�others,�a�child�will�grow�up�without�the�social�skills�needed�to�be�successful�in�school,�work�or�private�life.�As�a�parent,�you�should�provide�frequent�opportunities�for�your�three-�or�four-year-old�to�play�with�others.�Below�are�some�ideas�for�ways�to�socialize�your�child.

�� If�your�child�attends�a�day�care�or�preschool,�make�sure�there�are�other�children�there�his�or�her�own�age�and�that�playing�together�and�sharing�are�both�encouraged.

�� If�you�know�other�families�with�a�preschooler,�set�up�playdates�for�your�children�to�play�together.

�� Go�to�a�playground,�park�or�other�space�where�your�child�can�meet�other�children�and�play�together.

��When�you�are�interacting�with�other�adults,�including�during�meal�times,�include�your�child�and�encourage�them�to�interact.

Playing OutsidePlaying�outdoors�is�a�wonderful�way�for�your�child�to�enjoy�nature�and�be�physically�active�without�worrying�too�much�about�hurting�items�in�your�home.�In�addition�to�playing�on�their�own�with�toys�or�on�a�playground,�there�are�lots�of�playful�activities�you�can�do�together�with�your�child.

��Watering�the�garden�and��picking�vegetables

�� Playing�chase�on�soft�grass

�� Blowing�and�chasing�bubbles

�� Visiting�a�park�or�the�zoo

�� Drawing�on�the�sidewalk�with�chalk

Keeping Safe While OutdoorsPlaying�outdoors�has�lots�of�benefits,�but�parents�should�take�special�care�with�preschoolers�while�outside.

�� Keep�an�eye�on�your�child��at�all�times.

�� Do�not�leave�your�child�alone�near�water.�Empty�all�water�containers,�like�buckets�or�children’s�swimming�pools,�immediately�after�use.

Now that your child is a preschooler, they are more active and social. Preschoolers

learn and develop by playing, so now it’s time to have fun together and with others!

Rev. 6/2015

Three- and four-year-olds love to play!When�a�preschooler�plays,�he�or�she�is:

�� developing�strong�muscles,

�� overcoming�fears,

�� learning�to�make�friends,

�� sharing�feelings�and�ideas,�and

�� working�off�energy.

Preschoolers�also�are�still�undergoing�a�lot�of�brain�development,�and�play�is�when�much�of�that�development�happens.

Active Play, Screen Time and Physical HealthJust�like�adults�need�regular�exercise,�preschoolers�need�active�play�to�stay�healthy.�Being�active�helps�children�stay�at�a�healthy�weight,�makes�them�feel�good�and�helps�them�sleep�at�night.

With�more�access�than�ever�to�TVs,�computers,�smart�phones�and�video�games,�many�children�are�getting�too�much�screen�time�and�not�enough�active�play.�Children�who�spend�too�much�time�using�these�devices�have�less�energy,�are�more�likely�to�be�overweight�and�may�not�do�as�well�in�school�when�they�are�older.�You�should�keep�your�child’s�screen�time�to�a�minimum�and�not�allow�more�than�two�hours�a�day�of�TV,�computers,�video�games�or�other�forms�of�screen�time.�Remember,�even�educational�videos�or�games�count�toward�the�two-hour�maximum.

Play Safely, Play TogetherNot�every�neighborhood�has�safe�places�for�children�to�play,�and�playing�with�your�child�or�being�present�when�he�or�she�plays�with�others�will�always�be�safer.�Enjoy�this�time�in�your�child’s�life�and�make�time�to�play�somewhere�together�daily.

Three-Year-Olds and PlayAt�three�years�old,�your�child�is�learning�all�the�time.�You�are�your�child’s�role�model.�He�or�she�watching�whatever�you�do�and�tries�to�do�it�too.�This�can�be�adorable�sometimes�and�frustrating�other�times.�Remember�that�children�learn�by�doing�and�that�mistakes�are�part�of�that.�Remember�to�help�them�learn�to�do�things�safely�and�to�help�them�recover�from�their�mistakes.

Help your child learn to do things the right way.A�three-year-old�enjoys�repetition�and�will�do�things�over�and�over�again.�This�is�normal�and�will�help�your�child�master�different�skills.

Three-year-olds�like�to�make�friends�but�haven’t�learned�to�share.�Encourage�and�facilitate�sharing�but�understand�that�your�child�may�get�upset�if�he�or�she�feels�that�his�or�her�things�are�being�threatened.

Three-year-olds�enjoy�lots�of�playtime.�Remember,�playing�is�how�they�learn�and�grow.�At�three,�your�child�may�enjoy:

�� ball�games;

�� dolls;

�� sprinklers;

�� dress�up;

�� running,�jumping,�and�climbing;

�� drawing�and�coloring;

�� playgrounds;

�� asking�questions;

�� taking�walks�and�smelling�flowers�or�feeding�birds;�and

�� playing�pretend�and�making�up�stories.

At�age�three,�your�child�will�also�enjoy�counting,�and�you�can�make�just�about�anything�into�a�counting�game.�You�and�your�child�can�count:

�� toys�as�you�pick�them�up,

�� buttons�as�you�button�them�or�

�� bubbles�as�your�child�pops�them.

Three-year-olds�also�love�books,�so�be�sure�to�have�age-appropriate�books�to�read�together�with�them.�Books�about�animals�are�great,�and�your�child�is�now�old�enough�to�have�interests�of�his�or�her�own.�Ask�the�staff�at�your�local�library�to�help�you�find�a�book�that�your�child�will�love.�Family�photo�albums�are�also�a�great�way�to�teach�your�child�about�his�or�her�family.

Four-Year-Olds and PlayAt�four�years�old,�your�child�is�doing�more�and�more�for�himself�or�herself�now.�Don’t�worry,�they�still�love�playing�with�you�and�having�fun�together.�Your�four-year-old�may�even�be�able�to�help�you�prepare�a�meal,�snacks�or�clean.

You�may�have�noticed�now�that�your�child:

�� likes�to�show�off�new�skills,

�� can�pay�attention�longer�and

�� still�likes�playing�with�other�children�and�can�share�better�now.

Four-year-olds�still�enjoy�lots�of�playtime.�Just�like�younger�children,�playing�is�how�they�learn�and�grow.�At�four,�your�child�may�enjoy:

�� riding�a�tricycle,

�� playing�school�and�writing�short�words,

�� dolls,

�� kicking�a�ball,

�� singing,

�� taking�things�apart�and�putting�them�back�together�again,

�� hearing�stories,

�� drawing�or�coloring,

�� building�with�blocks�and

�� dancing.

At�four,�your�child�will�also�be�able�to�play�games�with�rules.�Playing�games�with�rules�helps�children�learn�how�to�think�and�to�follow�rules�later�in�life.�Playing�games�with�rules�with�you�first�can�help�them�learn�to�play�with�others.�Remember�to�make�it�positive,�even�if�rules�are�sometimes�broken.�Games�your�child�may�like�to�play�include:

� Simon Says�or�Follow the Leader;

�� Simple�card�games�like�Go Fish�or�Old Maid;

�Musical Chairs;

� Red Light, Green Light;�and

�� easy�board�games�like�Candy Land�or�Chutes and Ladders.

Four-year-olds�still�love�books,�and�like�exciting�or�funny�stories�a�lot.�They�also�enjoy�reading�picture�books�that�they�can�understand�on�their�own.

Learning to Play with OthersOne�of�the�most�important�thing�for�a�child�is�to�learn�to�play�with�others.�A�child�learns�by�playing,�and�by�playing�with�others�he�or�she�learns�socialization,�the�skill�he�or�she�will�need�to�work,�make�friends�or�otherwise�interact�with�other�people�throughout�his�or�her�entire�life.