The important role that dad’s and grandad’s play in the healthy development of children has long been overlooked. For many fathers, involvement with their children is challenged by work commitments and the need to financially provide for families. But grandads are often free of these time-consuming activities and provide an important source of active play and learning for the very youngest family members.
I watched 2 ½ year old Will laughing as he raced down the driveway on his 3 wheeled scooter with his Poppy (grandad) racing him on his old, rickety 2-wheeler scooter rejuvenated from the back of the shed. They sped down the steep drive as mum yelled “slow down!”, but not to be deterred, both scooters barrelled down at a tremendous pace, only to be slowed by the grassy garden at the end… and with Will shouting, “I won Poppy!…let’s do it again!’ I marvelled at his grandfather’s enthusiasm, energy and ability to really engage in fun, stimulating, active play with his 2 ½ year old grandson.
There can be little argument that men and women play differently with children. You can read the research, or, as I often do, just observe parents and grandparents play with their children or grandchildren in the playground or in their own backyard. Men are far more likely to engage in rough and tumble play, to play ‘chasey’, give the children ‘whizzies’, toss children up in the air and catch them on the way down and to generally ‘muck around’. Even though we work towards equality of ‘jobs’, men are still far more likely to do the heavy gardening work such as lawn mowing, hedge clipping and ‘shed work’ and young children love the opportunity to ‘help’. They love hammering, digging, sawing, cutting and any other manner of activities that can be completed outside alongside dad or grandad. Women, on the other hand, are far more likely to engage in activities with young children that involve creativity or imagination. These activities help children concentrate (even in short bursts) on certain tasks, such as sand pit play, water play activities art and craft activities, book reading, food preparation and other play-based activities such as play dough, craft, drawing, painting… and the list goes on! While of course this is a generalisation and both men and women will do a bit of everything, there is little doubt that the way men play with children brings something special to a young child’s development that is highly valuable and underestimated in its long-term effect on a child’s developing brain.
Grandads today tend to be more physically fit and active than grandads of the past. Improvements in diet, access to gyms/sport facilities and a general awareness of the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle has seen a generational change whereby those of us in our 50’s, 60’s and 70’s no longer feel like ‘oldies’. Sure, there may be a few niggles here and there, and some may be more fit that others, but the consensus is that a large percentage of grandparents are still physically active. This means grandads can still bring physical enthusiasm when looking after grandchildren and that’s great because its exactly what the brain and body of a young child needs for healthy development and later learning!
When a young child is physically active very important parts of the brain are stimulated, laying the foundation for long-term development and learning. Active play that involves, jumping, running, climbing, swinging and spinning stimulates the balance organs in the inner ear, the brain stem and the cerebellum, enabling the brain to organise itself so the body can appropriately respond to gravity and develop good posture, balance, vision and coordination. These are essential for being able to sit and pay attention in a classroom; to feel ‘grounded’ and emotionally stable; to have good control of the body, especially the upper body, arms, hands and fingers needed for writing; to have good hand-eye coordination and to enjoy life and learning.
The brain has not changed for thousands of years and while society has changed, the brain still needs the kinds of experiences and activities that stimulate its growth, connectivity and maturation. Children still need to play ‘like monkeys’. They need to play like we did in the ‘old days’, before the threats of modern life made play ‘unsafe’. Grandads are perfectly placed to enjoy these important active play opportunities with their grandchildren… and who doesn’t enjoy a speedy scooter race down a slope against a 2 ½ year old? But be aware…it might be the last time you win!
Games for grandad
Kick ball: using a beach ball (because its big, soft and easy to kick) chase the ball around the back yard kicking it along. Older children may enjoy the challenge of kicking it into a goal. Toddlers may just enjoy the chase! As a child develops more skill, swap for a soccer size ball. Great for physical stamina, motor control, foot-eye coordination and lots of laughs.
Build a Cubby/Fort: Young children love cubby houses or forts! These can be constructed inside or out. Use chairs, workhorse, planks, pieces of wood or other things that are easily available. Old blankets, picnic rugs or tarpaulins cover the ‘construction’. Great game for working things out i.e. What do I need now? Will it stand up? Will it be safe? Great for motor development – some pieces may be heavy! Great for imagination and creativity.
Scooter/bike ride: For the more active grandad’s you can’t go wrong taking the littlies out for a scooter or bike ride, but if the children are very young and there is more than one of them then take grandma! If you are lucky enough to have a park nearby that has walking tracks, then these are great as children can really have fun! Don’t expect to ride all the way yourself… you will probably end up carrying the scooter/bike home with a grandchild on your shoulders. Oh, and don’t forget food, water, hats and sunscreen!
If you would like ideas for activities you can play with your grandchild, grab a copy of ‘Grandparenting grandchildren: new knowledge and know-how for grandparenting the under 5’s’, now available for purchase at good bookstores near you, or online at https://grandparentsbook.com/ Written by Dr Jane Williams (PhD) and Dr Tessa Griggs (PhD), ‘Grandparenting Grandchildren’ provides a comprehensive review of new knowledge in early childhood as well as lots of activity ideas for healthy development.
