It’s been said that play is the work of children. It’s so important that the United Nations has listed it as one of the basic rights of every child. Play is critical for children’s development because it provides time and space for them to explore, learn and gain skills needed for adult life.

With homework and extracurricular activities vying for attention, it can be easy to forget about play. But there are plenty of important reasons why you should make sure your child gets to play every day. Read on to learn why kids need to play.