Children grow quickly during early childhood and need physical stimuli in the form of play to develop properly. As witnessed by extreme cases of neglect, without proper stimuli, children may be permanently underdeveloped.
Just as practicing reading and math leads to cognitive development, active play that works muscle groups leads to proper physical development. Fine motor skills, gross motor skills and balance all develop through play.
Children must be given the opportunity to use large muscle groups, such as those in the arms and legs, as they participate in various activities, so that proper movement and balance ability develops. They must exercise small muscle groups by activities such as playing with Legos, which assists with finger dexterity.
Play that works large muscle groups assists with gross motor skills, including the ability to walk, run, skip, jump and maintain balance. Small muscle group play assists with the child's ability to write, play musical instruments or use scissors.
Children given access to varied and active play periods during early childhood develop the fine and gross motor skills, as well as the balance skills, that assist them in reaching a much higher level of success when they meet new physical challenges as older children.