Why Play Isn’t ‘Just’ Play - And How It Shapes Your Child’s Brain

You know that feeling when your toddler is knee-deep in a cardboard box spaceship covered in stickers, pretending to blast off to the moon, and someone says “they’re just playing”?

Yep. I’ve heard it too…and it drives me mad.

Because here’s the thing: play isn’t just something children do for fun. It’s how they learn absolutely everything. Their brains are literally wiring and firing as they stir that imaginary soup, build that wonky tower, or roar like a dinosaur under the kitchen table.

So today, let’s bust the myth that play is fluff. It’s not. It’s the foundation of everything.

 

Play builds brains…literally.

From birth to around age 5, a child’s brain is developing faster than it ever will again. Connections are being made constantly - millions per second, and the more a child uses those connections through rich, playful experiences, the stronger they get.

So what strengthens those connections?

• Problem-solving (Why won’t this block balance?)
• Imaginative thinking (This cushion is my pirate ship!)
• Physical movement (Climbing that tree stump = spatial awareness + strength)
• Language-rich interaction (Talking with them during play builds vocab and understanding)

And the best part? They don’t even know they’re “learning”. To them, they’re just having fun. To their brains, they’re laying the foundation for everything that follows - maths, reading, confidence, empathy… you name it.

 

 

Language, play and real conversations

When a child is playing, they’re so much more likely to engage in back-and-forth conversations…which are golden for language development. Even simple commentary like,

 

 “Ooooh! That’s a very tall tower. I wonder what will happen if we add another block…”

opens the door to turn-taking, curiosity, and learning new words in context.

This is one of the big reasons I created my Curriculum Boxes and am currently developing my Magic Play Cards - to make it easier to create those rich, play-based moments with less stress, less prep, and way more fun. Because when you know the why behind the play, you feel more confident joining in and supporting it.

But it doesn’t always look like learning

And this is where it gets tricky. Play doesn’t always look impressive. It’s not neat handwriting or worksheet tick boxes. Sometimes it’s pouring water back and forth for 20 minutes. Sometimes it’s dressing and undressing a dolly 16 times in a row.

But that water play? It’s developing coordination, scientific thinking, cause and effect, and focus.

And the doll dressing? That’s self-care practice, fine motor skills, and sequencing.

What adults sometimes see as “just play” is actually children building the tools they need for life. Resilience. Creativity. The ability to work with others. To problem-solve. To bounce back when something doesn’t go to plan (hello, collapsed tower).

So what’s our job?

Our job isn’t to direct every moment.

 

It’s to set up the environment. To offer rich invitations. To join in sometimes, observe always, and sprinkle in just enough magic to keep curiosity alive.

And it doesn’t have to be complicated.

That’s exactly why I am creating my Magic Play Cards, so that parents, childminders and educators could have easy, meaningful play ideas at their fingertips. The kind that uses what you already have at home, but still supports all those important early skills. And if you’re after a whole bank of themed ideas ready to go, the Curriculum Boxes are a brilliant place to start.

 

 

Final thought

 

Next time someone says “they’re just playing,” smile. Because you know better.

Play isn’t a warm-up for the “real” learning.

It is the real learning.

And by making space for it, encouraging it, and understanding what’s going on beneath the surface… you’re giving children everything they need to thrive.