You know how much they love playing with toys if you have a child. The way their eyes light up at the sight of toys is endearing. But did you know that this adorable act holds developmental benefits? Studies show that playing with collectible figures and dolls promotes cognitive development. It allows your child to expand their thinking significantly. It also helps them with self-expression, a key element of socialising. Following are the points explained in detail:
Social skills
Our social skills decide how well we connect and communicate with people. The same goes for children. Hence, they are taught to be social and outgoing from a young age. But this is a slightly challenging task if you are dealing with an introverted child. In such cases, doll play comes in handy. It empowers them to express and talk about their feelings through play. This further strengthens their empathy and understanding of emotions.
Imagination
We know that imagination is the driving force of innovation. Thus, strive to push children to think out of the box. An excellent way to do so is to urge them to play with collectible toys. When your child indulges in doll play, they create imaginary characters. They add different traits and mannerisms to each figurine. This channels your child’s creativity significantly. It encourages them to develop different scenarios in their fantasy world and other possibilities.
Self -expression
As a parent, you want your child to communicate how they feel. But children often fail to express themselves. As a result, they start suppressing their emotions. This habit is unhealthy in the long run. Hence, several child psychologists recommend pretend play. This example lets you understand why: your child has had a bad day at school. They seem upset but refuse to talk about what is bothering them.
In this case, their fashion dolls or figurines become outlets through which they express such emotions. Since there is no fear of judgment, your child gets the opportunity to be transparent and honest too.
Emotional processing
As adults, we deal with a lot of emotions daily. But this is possible only because of our emotional processing skills. They help us assess, understand, and accept feelings effectively. By playing with dolls and figurines, your child learns these skills too. They come face to face with a range of emotions through play. They also develop an understanding of how others react to specific actions. For example, your child is playing with action figures.
They speak mean to each other. The latter gets upset and turns away. This simple act exemplifies your child’s understanding of emotions. It shows how well they grasp reactions.