Why Play Matters: Supporting Communication and Regulation Through Everyday Summer Activities

The Learning That Happens Between Plans

When people think about helping children learn new skills, they often picture structured lessons, organized activities, or carefully planned interventions. However, some of the richest opportunities for growth happen in moments that look surprisingly simple. 

Moments such as: 

• A child filling a bucket at a splash pad.

• A sibling inventing rules for a backyard game.

• A family building a blanket fort on a rainy afternoon.

• A walk around the neighborhood that turns into a hunt for interesting rocks, bugs, or flowers.

It may appear to be "just play", but it is often where children practice communication, problem-solving, flexibility, emotional regulation, and social connection in ways that feel natural to them and meaningful. Summer break provides countless opportunities for these moments to unfold.

Play Is More Than Entertainment

Children learn best when they are actively engaged in experiences that capture their interest. An environment where there is an opportunity to play offers something unique: motivation.

When children are genuinely interested in an activity, they are more likely to:

• Communicate with others

• Explore new ideas

• Tolerate challenges better

• Persist through frustration

• Engage with their environment

Think about a child who loves water play. While pouring, splashing, and experimenting, they may be developing vocabulary, requesting items, taking turns, following directions, and learning cause-and-effect relationships without realizing they are practicing any of those skills. The activity itself becomes an invitation to learn.

Communication Often Begins with Connection

Communication is about much more than just spoken language. It includes gestures, facial expressions, eye gaze, body language, signs, pictures, devices, and countless other ways children share their thoughts, needs, and interests. Play creates opportunities for communication because it naturally encourages interaction.

Consider a simple bubble activity.

A child may:

• Point toward the bubbles

• Look toward a caregiver

• Request "more"

• Laugh and share enjoyment

• Ask for help opening the container

• Comment on what they see

These moments are so meaningful because communication happens within a shared experience rather than in isolation. Often, children are more likely to engage when communication serves a purpose that feels important to them.

Summer Activities Can Support Regulation Too

Regulation is not something children only practice when challenges arise. It develops through everyday experiences that help children understand and respond to what their bodies need. Summer activities can provide valuable opportunities for this learning.

Examples might include:

• Digging in sand

• Swinging at a park

• Jumping through sprinklers

• Riding a bike

• Exploring nature trails

• Creating obstacle courses

Movement, sensory exploration, and outdoor experiences can help children build awareness of their bodies and discover activities that help them feel calm, focused, energized, or organized.

Every child is different. What feels regulating for one child may feel overwhelming for another. Play allows children to safely explore those differences.

Following a Child's Interests Creates Powerful Opportunities

Some children are fascinated by insects. Others love trains, animals, art supplies, sports statistics, or collecting objects from nature. Rather than viewing these interests as potential distractions, they can become valuable pathways for learning.

A child who loves dinosaurs may be motivated to:

• Ask questions

• Engage in conversations

• Participate in pretend play

• Practice categorizing

• Build storytelling skills

When learning is connected to something meaningful for them, participation often becomes more natural and enjoyable.

This idea is central to naturalistic, strengths-based approaches that recognize children's interests as important tools for engagement.

Growth Doesn't Always Look the Way We Expect

Sometimes progress lives in small moments that are easy to overlook.

Moments such as:

• A child waits an extra few seconds for their turn.

• They ask for help instead of becoming frustrated.

• They try a new activity.

• They recover more quickly after something unexpected happens.

These moments may not always stand out on a “checklist”, but they represent signs of meaningful growth.

Play creates opportunities for children to practice these skills repeatedly in ways that feel authentic rather than forced.

Making Space for Joy

In a world that often emphasizes goals, schedules, and outcomes, it can be easy to underestimate the value of simple enjoyment. Yet joy plays an important role in development.

When children feel connected, engaged, and successful, they are more likely to take risks, explore new experiences, and build confidence in their abilities.

The goal is not to turn every summer activity into a lesson, but rather to recognize that learning is already happening within many of the moments families enjoy together.

At Carelinks ABA, we believe meaningful progress often grows from experiences that feel natural, motivating, and connected to a child's everyday life. Through individualized, play-based support and collaboration with families, we help children build skills in ways that respect their interests, strengths, and unique ways of engaging with the world.

This summer, don't underestimate the power of a water balloon, a sidewalk chalk drawing, a game of tag, or an afternoon spent exploring outside. Sometimes the most important learning happens when children are simply given the freedom to express themselves through play.