Parenting Teenagers: Don’t Stop Your Child from Playing – Do teenagers like to play? Should parents be worried? The answer is no. In fact, parents should encourage them to play more often.
Childhood is marked by fairly intense play activities.
Toddlers through elementary school students enjoy collecting dolls and playing cooking games.
However, as they get older, these activities decrease. This is not only due to academic demands but also because of their cognitive development.
It’s not uncommon for parents to find their teenagers becoming more quiet and withdrawn. Sometimes they also become more irritable and sensitive.
Why Parents Should Support Their Teenagers’ Love of Play
Often, parents push their children to study harder to prepare for the future while also limiting their exposure to negative influences.
However, parents also need to support their teenagers in continuing to play.
Dr. Ginsburg, a pediatrician, states that playing offers many benefits for teenagers.
He explains that if teenagers are only busy studying and engaging in adult activities, they won’t discover their interests and talents in the world.
On the contrary, through play, teenagers can develop their creativity, discover their hobbies, and gain inspiration for their adult lives.
They will also be happier and less likely to experience various mental health issues.
A study published in the American Journal of Play found that play can reduce depression, anxiety, narcissism, and suicidal thoughts.
More specifically, by playing, teenagers will gain the following benefits:
- Doing something you enjoy
- Improving problem-solving skills
- Managing emotional stability
- Making friends
- Experiencing joy
Different Playing Styles
While parents should encourage their teenagers to play, it’s important to understand that the types of games their children enjoy during this stage differ from those they enjoyed in childhood.
Professor Hilary Conklin, who teaches Teacher Education at DePaul University in Chicago, explains that the teenage brain develops rapidly.
The games they enjoy typically involve a certain degree of imagination.
There are some children’s games they still enjoy, but there are also games that are typical of adolescence.
They may no longer be interested in dressing up as princesses or cartoon characters. However, they still enjoy wearing costumes for Halloween and cosplay.
Here are some types of games that teenagers often play:
- Sports
- Yoga and exercise
- Hiking, camping, and exploring the beach
- Cosplay
- Making things from materials found around the house, like a wooden house
- Creating art
- Playing video games
- Role-playing
- Building websites
- Making TikTok videos
- Playing music
- Gardening
- Cooking
- Making short films
- Writing
- Dancing
- Going to the playground
- Karaoke
How Can Parents Support Teenagers Who Love to Play?
Dr. Conklin explains that adolescence is a rather complex phase.
On the one hand, they are on the verge of adulthood, but on the other hand, they sometimes want to act like children again.
Parents need to understand this complexity. They need to allow their teenagers to act childish from time to time, at the right time and in the right place.
If possible, parents can even join in when their children are playing.
In addition, parents can also provide support by providing adequate play facilities.
Don’t let your child be confined by a strict schedule without being able to enjoy their youth.
Dr. Conklin noted that this often happens in wealthy families where teenagers are required to participate in various activities to learn different skills.
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Regarding the types of games themselves, Dr. Conklin stated that every teenager will be interested in different types of games.
Most importantly, parents should not forbid their teenagers from playing games as long as they stay within reasonable limits.
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