The Importance of Play

Fathers bring something unique to play. Roughhousing, adventure, pushing limits, challenging kids to try hard things. Father-play teaches lessons that can't be learned any other way: how to handle competition, how to lose, how to get back up, how to read physical cues. And underneath all of it, play builds connection.

Your kids want you to play with them. Not to sit nearby while they play. Not to check your phone while half-engaged. They want you on the floor, in the game, fully present. There's no substitute.

Why Play Matters

Connection: Play builds relational equity. It makes deposits that matter when you need to make withdrawals through discipline or hard conversations.

Development: Through play, kids learn emotional regulation, physical coordination, social skills, and problem-solving.

Joy: Play creates shared positive memories. It makes childhood fun.

Communication: Kids often share what's really going on in their lives during play. It's lower pressure than direct conversation.

You can't outsource play to screens or activities. Your kids don't need another program. They need you, engaged and present, building something together.

How Fathers Play Differently

• More physical: roughhousing, wrestling, throwing
• More challenging: pushing limits, encouraging risk
• More competitive: games that involve winning and losing
• More adventurous: exploring, trying new things

Getting Better at Play

Follow their lead: Let them choose the game sometimes. Enter their world.

Put the phone away: You can't be present while distracted. Be all there.

Schedule it: If it's not on the calendar, it probably won't happen consistently.

Keep it age-appropriate: What connects with a 5-year-old is different from what connects with a 15-year-old.

Your Action Steps

This week: Play with your kids for at least 30 minutes with zero distractions.

This month: Find something each child enjoys and make it a regular thing.

This quarter: Plan an adventure. Something memorable that you do together.