Parents should ensure that their children have adequate time to play and socialise, it has been suggested.

Doreen Jones, senior parent support co-ordinator at the charity Parentline Plus, said play can help youngsters to develop "emotional literacy" and to manage their emotions when they get frustrated.

She noted that it also provides opportunities for learning and enables children to learn how they can make and keep friends.

"Early play provides practical opportunities for children to learn, for example Science - what happens to plastic things when they are in water, making sense of their world [and] learning colours," Ms Jones explained.

She added that playing can also help children to develop stronger bonds with their parents.

Speaking to the Irish Independent recently, Sarah Rush, a play and filial therapist at the Owen Connolly Counselling Centre, said that engaging in imaginative play can enable children to deal with stress more effectively.

Written by Donal Walsh

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