Helping Children of Different Ages Play Safely Together

Posted by Jason Waler on October 28th, 2019

Some studies show that playtime and physical activity plays a significant role in ensuring the proper development of a child - helping improve their abilities in the areas of communication, planning, organization, and social interaction with other children, among other benefits. When considering the option of having children of different ages playing together added to the mix, this can be an excellent opportunity for increased development but is also a volatile mix, and things can go pretty wrong if not managed properly. The point to keep in mind here is that younger children are pretty heavily influenced by the actions and behavior of older children. While this can be a good thing (especially with communicative behavior), it is paramount that both groups of children stay safe in such an environment. And as such, they are relying on the adults to manage their playtime appropriately, so that all the stakeholders involved - in this case, the children, have a great time at the playground that is fun, developmental, and safe at the same time.

Make sure activities are shared in one single group.

There are specific activities that need to be avoided just because they are not inclusive of the different age groups that are involved in the play. The point here is to have events wherein children from different age groups feel involved and where they can have fun together. When you try to arrange various activities for different age groups, and you start to segregate the children into the different groups, some resentment can pop up in the children when they are blocked from enjoying an activity just because they had to go to a diverse group. Try explaining age theory to a child, and you'll get the point of what is being said here.

Choose toys that are inclusive for the different age groups.

It is as essential for the toys that are being used in the play to be age-inclusive as it is for the other activities that are being planned. Choose toys that transcend age barriers like wooden blocks, Legos, home playing items that can be enjoyed by older children as well. This will take a bit of research to do right, but with preparation, this can be a fun activity.

Make sure you talk to the older children.

Older children are at an age where they can comprehend communication and understand boundaries. Try talking to them and let them know when an activity can be unsafe for smaller children so that they also have a learning curve and learn limits. However, don't make an older child responsible for a younger one - you should always have an adult supervising the playtime.

In conclusion, learning to play together is a beneficial activity, when done right, can help foster the development of children, and also bring children of different ages together. You don't have to plan advanced activities right away - let the children enjoy the fun time they have now - with each other.

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