Q: My child likes quiet play. How can I encourage more activity?
Skills
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While it is important for all young children to be physically active and interact with others, some children need more quiet or alone time than others. As humans, we all differ in the way in which we recharge, and where we get our energy from. People who are more introverted tend to recharge by spending time alone or engaging in quiet activities. Unlike extroverts who gain energy from other people and recharge by being around others, introverts tend to lose energy from being around other people for too long. If your child is more introverted, engaging in quiet play is likely his way of “recharging his batteries”. Because of this, you may find that continually trying to involve him in more active play with others might actually have the opposite effect, making him crave quiet alone time even more.
Jennie Ito, Ph.D.
Child Development Expert
Jennie Ito is a mother of two and a child development consultant who specializes in children’s play and toys. Before becoming a consultant for LeapFrog, she was an intern at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, and later worked as a content expert for the Association of Children’s Museum’s “Playing for Keeps” Play Initiative. Jennie earned her doctorate degree in developmental psychology at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.