5 Tips For Playing With Children To Improve The Mood

Illustration of playing with children to improve the mood (Pexels/Ivan Samkov)

JAKARTA – During preschool, children learn a lot from playing. This includes learning to recognize and manage emotions. Angry, happy, happy, sad emotions are important to recognize so as not to spoil the mood. Even so that they don't act destructively or have tantrums, they need to be trained to manage their feelings.

Reported by The Australian Parenting Website, Tuesday, March 1, play also helps the development of children in all areas. To develop a preschooler's emotions by playing, here are some tips.

1. Play with ideas and creativity

Many things can be played, such as playing sand, music, dressing up, drawing, reading, and playing outdoors. In preschoolers, they need to explore and express it in appropriate ways. Include non-destructive words or actions. That way children can regulate themselves and their behavior, even parents can establish a warm relationship with children through playing.

Illustration of playing with children to improve the mood (Pexels/Cottonbro)

2. Use words to describe feelings

Words will be easier to understand, then facial expressions will follow. They will know how happy, sad, angry, and happy when expressed through words. While playing, show affection to those around you, including children's peers. This can make it build a social aspect.

3. Play cooperatively

Verbally spoken words help to play cooperatively. Explain the rules of the game and act cooperatively. For example, your child agrees to play buy and sell. He agreed to be the buyer and you the seller. Then explain the process of buying and selling, paying with play money and then getting the desired item. With these interactive games, children will know what their roles are and how to socialize with their surroundings.

4. Play with patience

Breaking the rules of the game, children may do. But it's not a big deal, you need to be patient and repeat the explanation of the rules. They also try hard to follow and recognize the rules so as not to make mistakes.

You also need to play with ideas to encourage the preschooler's emotions. Get to know about the fear, anger, disappointment, sadness, that is felt by children. Show me the right way to express it. Explain that hiding your feelings will not solve the problem.

5. Give a chance to play messy

Playing with sand, mud, or paint can help children express their feelings. Both happy and sad feelings can be creatively recognized and expressed. Explore children's imagination and creativity by playing, they will later show good feelings with dolls, brush strokes, or playing acting.

Those are tips that you can do to improve the mood of children. They need to be guided and directed so as not to harbor emotions or express them inappropriately.