I. The Physical Development Value of Folk Games for Children in 2024
The value of folk sports games for children’s physical development primarily lies in their impact on children’s physical growth.
Firstly, folk sports games are often conducted in outdoor natural environments. The fresh air in these environments is rich in negative ions and oxygen, which can promote children’s metabolism, improve cardiovascular and respiratory functions, and enhance immunity. The humidity, temperature, and pressure, along with the movement of air, stimulate children, effectively strengthening their bodies. Sunlight is essential for children’s growth, as ultraviolet and infrared rays have excellent natural sterilization effects and promote normal bone growth, preventing rickets.
Secondly, the diverse types of folk sports games benefit children’s physical development in various ways. Games like “Melted Ice Cream,” “Sticking the Pan Cake,” and “Eagle Catches the Chick” involve physical activities that can enhance children’s running abilities, increase myocardial contraction, and promote the normal development of the cardiovascular system. Games such as “Hopscotch,” “Catch the Beanbag,” and “Rope Exercises” can improve children’s hand-foot coordination and promote the development of gross motor skills. Activities like “Stilts Walking” and “Roller Skating” effectively train children’s balance. These folk sports activities complement indoor activities, promote the development of children’s bones and muscles, and enhance motor skills, benefiting the development of internal organs and the nervous system. Folk sports games significantly contribute to the development of children’s physical movements and the harmonious development of their bodies, strengthening their physical fitness.
Thirdly, engaging in folk sports games increases physical activity and appetite, promoting the development of children’s digestive systems. These games often involve practicing basic movements like jumping and running, and as children’s activity areas shift from indoors to outdoors, their range of motion expands, increasing physical exertion and creating a sense of hunger. This encourages better digestion and absorption of food, further promoting the healthy development of their digestive systems.
In 2024, folk games are crucial for enhancing children’s physical fitness. In the current trend of moving children’s play areas indoors, folk games play an essential role in children’s physical growth and development, serving as excellent companions for their healthy growth.
II. The Psychological Development Value and Significance of Folk Games for Children in 2024
1. Folk Games and Cognitive Development
Folk games benefit children’s cognitive development by engaging their perception, attention, memory, thinking, and imagination. Children’s cognitive abilities develop as they solve various problems encountered during the games. Folk games often reflect aspects of real life, allowing children to use and reinforce their existing knowledge.
Folk games enhance children’s sensory development. Some games involve direct contact with various materials and toys, promoting the development of sensory organs through hands-on activities. Games like “Spinning Top” and “Throwing Sandbags” require keen observation and readiness, benefiting visual function and attention concentration.
Folk games can improve children’s intentional memory. Studies show that active memory during games results in better quantity and quality compared to laboratory conditions. In role-playing games like “Playing House,” children must remember names and even “prices” of items, which is more effective than simple teaching methods.
Folk games also promote children’s thinking development. Children, being in the concrete thinking stage, understand simple, direct relationships between things. In “Playing House,” they learn to see things from others’ perspectives, overcoming egocentrism and developing more comprehensive thinking.
Folk games stimulate children’s imagination. Every game involves imagination, and rigid adherence to adult rules would make games uninteresting. Games like “Playing House” require children to imagine one thing as another, adding fun. Games like “Rolling the Iron Hoop” let children imagine the hoop as a racing car, enhancing their enjoyment. This imaginative play promotes purposeful and rich imagination development.
Moreover, folk games contribute to language development. Many games require children to communicate about the game’s plot, and some games include rhymes, like “Jumping Rope” and “Hand-Clapping Rhymes,” greatly enhancing language skills.
2. Folk Games and the Development of Personality and Social Skills
Folk games cultivate various good qualities and behaviors in children. Though games lack external goals, children must discipline themselves for the game’s success, fostering purposefulness and persistence. Competitive elements in folk games encourage a sense of competition.
Folk games provide rich opportunities for social interaction. Playing these games involves connecting with other children, helping them understand themselves and others. As part of a group, they learn to adapt, negotiate, and cooperate to achieve collective goals.
Folk games also promote healthy personality development. As most children are only children, family pampering can lead to bad habits. Games help children control their flaws to be accepted by peers. Parents and teachers can use these advantages for targeted education. Children can also explore and develop their interests and abilities during game activities and material creation.
Various folk games enhance aesthetic abilities and regulate emotions. Physical games let children experience the beauty of movement, intellectual games show the wonder of intelligence, and language games reveal the charm of words. Engaging in folk games naturally involves emotions, with positive emotions beneficial for psychological health.
In conclusion, folk games in 2024 play a significant role in children’s holistic development, providing essential physical, cognitive, social, and emotional benefits.
