As part of my role as a one of their official family bloggers, Nintendo sometimes send me press releases and other useful information to share with my readers. Recently they got in touch to tell me about some interesting research they have just commissioned which has studied how parents feel about their children’s’ emotional resilience. This is something very close to my heart – I feel blessed that my children are both achieving good academic levels in school, but I am almost more keen that they develop personally and learn emotional resilience as well. The Nintendo research shows that I am not alone, and 70% of parents worry that their child(ren) is/are not emotionally resilient enough.

Other interesting findings from the survey are that 56% of parents admit that they sometimes feel ill equipped to deal with and explain difficult topics children face, and 92% of parents believe primary schools must share responsibility for children’s wellbeing and should help teach children lots of things, from how to correctly use a knife and fork through to explaining cyber bullying.

To support the survey’s findings, Nintendo have worked with child development psychologist Dr. Amanda Gummer, and she has provided a selection of tips on how to use ‘play’ tactics during the school holidays to tackle tricky topics and help children’s personal development. I am sharing these tips in their entirety because I think they are very sensible and useful. I’ve certainly been trying to put some of them into practice over the last couple of weeks!

1. Spark an enthusiasm for learning with fun educational activities

The summer holidays are the perfect opportunity to really get children enthusiastic about learning with fun, hands-on activities. For instance, they can practice maths by helping out at a car boot sale with the money, have a go at some amazing experiments with science kits or tell stories by creating their own characters.

2. Engage with videogames

It’s helpful to meet children where they are, in order to take them where you want them to be. Videogames are very popular with kids and the right ones can encourage critical thinking and discussion around an array of topics. For instance, the characters and their stories in the popular Nintendo 3DS game based on Japanese Folklore, YO-KAI WATCH^® offers an imaginative platform to talk about real-life issues, such as falling out with friends or bullying – issues which often crop up during long school holidays.

3. Encourage playing together

Group games are brilliant for getting family and friends to play together, while helping children learn to think strategically, plan ahead, and work with others. There are many board and card games that also support key educational topics like maths so you can be confident that kids are learning whilst enjoying themselves.

4. Mix and match playmates

A good mix between playing with friends and family gives children the chance to expand their social skills, build relationships, and share knowledge. An older sibling can sometimes explain a topic to a younger sibling in a better way than a parent or teacher, it feels more playful, and at the same time this is reinforcing their own understanding.

5. Don’t forbid screen time

There’s no reason why children can’t enjoy some screen time, it’s just important to select videogames that captivate them as well as support learning and development. This will help them to think imaginatively and creatively. Brands such as Nintendo offer a variety of games that will make your kids think and apply their brains, such as Disney Art Academy which helps teach children how to create their own art or Teddy Together which teaches them about friendship through the guide of a cuddly teddy bear and encourages chidren to practise their reading, spelling and interpersonal skills. They will feel like they are being given a treat but will be learning at the same time.

6. Allow time for unstructured play

It’s important for children to be in control of at least some of their play, so remember to schedule in time where they can play freely. This allows them to explore their own ideas and build on things they have learned, at their own pace. Building a den, for example, is an exciting way for children to explore the outdoors, harness their imagination and learn to solve problems.

7. Use children’s interests to grab their attention

These few weeks will give children a chance to explore their own interests. Parents can use something a child is big on right now, such as a particular cartoon or game character, to make all sorts of subjects more appealing and really tailor the learning to the child’s individual interests. For example, if a child likes superheroes, parents might get them to write a story about the character to encourage writing skills.

8. Take them out for a breath of fresh air

Rain or shine, outdoor play has many advantages to a child’s development. It’s a great source of exercise, a chance for children to master physical skills, and offers a fascinating world for exploring and imaginative play. Going down the park can be a pain for parents, who end up standing around cold and bored while their children play; we suggest arranging play dates so that parents have someone to talk to and children get the added benefits of mixing with other children.

9. Boredom is good

Parents needn’t feel that children need entertaining every minute of the holidays, because children are perfectly capable of coming up with their own activities and this is actually really good for their development. It encourages children to think for themselves, supporting decision-making and independence, and can stimulate their creativity.

10. Use this opportunity to practice life skills

Life skills are vital, but unfortunately they aren’t always covered in school. So now is the ideal time for parents to get children to help plan and cook meals, clean the house, and generally get their heads around all the chores they will need to survive as adults. Of course they will still need plenty of time to play, but a good work ethic is a valuable thing to instill into a child, just make it fun, for example by bringing in songs and rhymes.

About Dr Amanda Gummer:

Amanda has over 20 years experience working with children and families. Widely considered as the UK’s go to expert on play, toys and child development, she combines her theoretical knowledge with a refreshingly pragmatic approach to family life, which resonates both with parents and professionals. Her book ‘Play’ was published in May 2105 and has already been translated into two different languages.

Amanda is regularly in the media, and is currently nominated for an award as a ‘High Profile Working Mother’. She continues to take an active role in research and is often involved in government policy around children’s issues – currently as a member of two All Party Parliamentary Groups.

Amanda ran the research consultancy FUNdamentals for 10 years before combining that with the Good Toy Guide, and the Good App Guide to create Fundamentally Children, the UK’s leading source of expert, independent advice on child development and play, supporting children’s industries with research, insight and endorsement.