Roughhouse play can actually be good for your kids.
If you have kids home from school this summer, especially little boys, you’re bound to have a lot of roughhousing going on. It’s often deemed as aggressive and harmful.
Occupational Therapist Katie Crosby says this type of interactive play is not only great physical exercise, but a ‘neural exercise’ as well. She says there are a lot of benefits to roughhousing. It literally wires their brains and bodies to adapt, real time. learn to grade muscle control and emotional control.
Find more advice from Katie on Instagram, @thrivinglittles.
Why Roughhouse Play is Good
A big reason is it fills your child’s ‘power cup.’ Kids have innate need to feel competent and powerful and play allows safe space to do this. Craving power and control is a result of feeling insecure and this play allows space to support competency, body and emotional awareness, and be an antidote to the power and control we so often see today.
Benefits
- Releases pent up emotions
- Has potential to heal and integrate unresolved sensation through movement and fun
- Develops body awareness- encourages sense of calm
- Helps kids practice embodying complex sensations/emotions
- Gives in the moment feedback about “too much” or “ouch!” in a safe space
- Provides room to “try on” emotions playfully,
- It’s fun!
- Provides intimate connection with tactile and human touch benefits,
- It’s a sensory integration powerhouse (supports all of the senses working together)
Add comment