Parental perspectives on the contribution of play in child development

As a common activity for children, play is one of a voluntary and spontaneous character. It plays an essential role in the complete satisfaction of children’s needs. Through play, children mobilize and acquire cognitive, emotional, physical and social skills in relevant learning contexts, which provide the required stimulus for human development. It´s a descriptive and exploratory study of qualitative nature. The data collection was undertaken between the months of may and june 2012 was conducted through the application of a semistructured interview to parents (n=14) of children in ages between 4 months and 3 years old, who a kindergarten in the city of Portalegre. This thesis’ aim was to know parental perspectives on play’s contribution in children’s development aged from birth to 3 years old and it delineated the analysis of parental perspectives on play’s contribution in children’s development aged from birth to 3 years old, the description of parental meanings related to play and also parental identification in children’s skills development aged, from birth to 3 years old, acquisition related to play. All parents interviewed believe play is important and recognized its relevance as a significant element of childhood. These mothers also identified contributions and skills that are essential in children’s global development at different levels – cognitive, emotional, social and physical. Play is considered a natural ability to be stimulated and developed in order to empower children. Play is fundamental part of childhood, to a right accorded to it and to which parents seek to devote quality time classifying it as one moment that reinforces and close family ties