Written by Rebecca Cummings, MS, CCC-SLP

In this fun and inspiring TEDTalk, Molly Wright, a 7-year-old girl with the wisdom of someone four times her age, urges parents everywhere to consider the importance of play.

Check out the full TEDTalk here

Miss Wright brings up quite a few big ideas that are backed by years of research on child development:

“Early and Often”

Miss Wright highlights the idea of having meaningful, engaging interactions with your child EARLY and OFTEN. Before an infant is even born, they are gathering information from the world around them - sounds, speech, their mother’s physical and emotional shifts - and all of this very early learning begins to shape their cognitive development.

The First Five Years

Then, once a baby officially comes into the world, their growing brain relies on five key components to meet its full potential during those crucial first five years of life:

Connection
Communication (i.e., talking)
Play
A healthy home environment
Community

Serve & Return

These things work their best magic when they happen often. What may seem like a simple game of peek-a-boo, silly face contests, or back-and-forth babble to you is actually a rich time of learning for your little one. Interactive play helps kids develop skills like empathy, attention, early language, and trust. As an added bonus, all that playing can involve the other four components, too… yay for efficient fun!

Miss Wright also makes the important point that these same learning opportunities are not nearly as robust, or are often nonexistent, when our engagement with babies is limited. When distractions like cell phones or work calls take our focus away from them, babies don’t get the same quality of input. This kind of scenario can contribute to added challenges, like behavioral issues or decreased mental health, if they continue across time.

Doing This IRL

So, does this mean that you can’t ever check your Insta or work email when Baby is nearby? Of course not! If only real life were as simple as “just do it and forget about all the other stuff”. At the end of the day, it all boils down to a thoughtful blend of balance, focus, and engagement.

**Activity Options For When You’re Short on Time or Energy:**

For the bebes: https://www.todaysparent.com/baby/how-to-play-with-your-baby/
If you have a toddler on your hands: https://www.todaysparent.com/toddler/toddler-development/fun-games-to-play-with-toddlers/

Was it an extra-long day at work? When you get home, try setting a 15-minute timer and directing all of your attention toward your child until it goes off (or even longer if you can).
If you just don’t have the time or energy to think up any more kid-friendly games, you could try tackling it like food prep on a Sunday evening - print out a list of options that will be readily available when you’re on your last ounce of energy during the week.
Looking for a way to encourage speech and language development during play? Amp up those comments about whatever you two see, self-narrate what you’re doing, and work in some opportunities for imitation.

And remember - it really is way more than just fun and games!