From Robert Fulghum’s poem, “All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten,” we see so many truths about the importance of letting a young child just play.

“Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain but there in the sandbox at kindergarten,” he writes.

Let’s face it: Play is a young child’s work.

When school’s out, many structured activities that are offered during the school year also take a summer vacation. Therefore, summer provides such a wonderful time for your young child to just play! Free play promotes such good family time as well.

So many processes, social interactions and creative expressions —  not to mention physical benefits — are learned by your child by freely playing under the supervision of an adult.

Stand back in the shadows as parents, listen and observe closely your children learning and interacting during their free play. This will help you in understanding how your child thinks and interacts.

Physical play involves children’s large actions like running, jumping or riding a tricycle or bicycle. The goals of physical play are to help your young child to increase his or her physical skills and to learn to use them in new situations.

Dramatic play requires that the child assume and act out a role. It’s often in relationships with other children playing their roles in informal dramatic situations that may represent true life experiences.

Games are another form of play activity, but this is different than physical play or dramatic play. Elements of game playing for young children must be kept very simple. As young children engage in playing games, strategies need to be taught. On those summer rainy days, parents can enjoy playing games with their child as they teach them the strategies.

Parents can offer their child manipulative play with natural inexpensive materials like sand, water, empty milk jugs, spoons, pots and shovels. Wet sand can be molded into many shapes; dry sand can be sieved and run through funnels.

This summer, many of us will need to plan, inexpensive activities for our young children close to home. Here are a few suggestions of planning fun, enjoyable summer learning excursions that don’t break the bank:

• Many of our churches on the Eastern Shore are promoting and providing Vacation Bible School. So many learning lessons, art activities, games, fellowship and fun are provided for young children.
• Visit your local library.
• See what children’s movies are coming on this summer.
• Plan family picnics and campouts close to home.

Beth Pinyerd lives in Daphne and serves as director of younger children at Faith Family Fellowship in Spanish Fort.

Her column appears regularly in The Bulletin.