Children at play learn to cooperate, negotiate, share, take turns, and wait for a desired outcome. They experience the various temperaments, personalities, and tolerance levels of their playmates. Play also permits the child to work out emotional problems in a safe, no threatening way. During play, children learn that they must control their aggression by finding ways to express fears and anxieties. If not, they will lose their friends.
Fantasy play is an extremely positive way for a child to develop a healthy emotional life.
In fact, a child who in unable or afraid to pretend may have a psychological disorder. Play also challenges the child's body. Children develop eye-hand coordination and both large and small motor skills through climbing, jumping, running, using manipulative toys, and working with creative materials. At different stages, children play in different ways. For an infant, play usually means an interaction with an adult and typically the adult initiates the play.