When it comes to giving your kids the best development imaginable, a kids play couch can be super beneficial. But did you know just how useful they can be for unleashing social skills at any age?
We’ve taken a deep dive into exactly how Funsquare can enhance social skills, and how to host the best play couch playdate for your kids!
Enhance social skills with a Funsquare kids play couch
A kids foam play couch (like the Funsquare play couch) serves as a one-stop solution for developing and honing social skills in children of all ages.
Why? Because it’s the perfect open-ended play tool. And open-ended play helps to develop early cognitive skills, promotes creativity, improves motor functions and provides sensory experiences, and helps kids recognise and express emotions and social skills.
It’s perfect for giving them a slice of social development, even when they’re all on their own.
A kids play couch can:
- Encourage cooperative play
- Stimulate communication and and language development
- Nurture empathy and emotional intelligence
- Build problem-solving and decision-making skills
- Facilitate turn-taking and sharing
But through interactive play and collaborative activities, children can learn important life skills while having fun. So if you’re looking for a way to make the most out of your playdates with a social-boosting activity that’ll give your kids the best advantage? Look no further than a Funsquare kids play couch.
Kids play couch playdates!
While kids love exploring, learning, and challenging themselves with a play couch on their own, there’s lots to gain from teaming up with your friends, families or even your neighbours' little ones to bring them a social experience they won’t soon forget.
Playdates with a play couch can offer a whole new level of excitement and engagement for children. They can transform the couch into a spaceship, a castle, or even a secret hideout. With boundless possibilities, playdates on a play couch become a hub of creativity and social interaction.
They can engage in make-believe scenarios, assuming various roles and characters. As they interact, they learn the value of teamwork, cooperation and, just as important, compromise. Through role-playing and pretend play, they step into the shoes of different characters, experiencing a range of emotions and understanding the impact of their actions on others. They learn to recognise and navigate complex emotions, foster empathy and understanding towards their peers. It lays the groundwork for strong emotional bonds, compassion, social skills, and so much more.
As they embark on their imaginative journey together, they can share laughter, communicate and collaborate in a comfortable, inviting, safe and limitless space.
And parents can sit back, relax, and know their kids will have no trouble getting the enrichment they deserve and will crash pretty easily once bedtime comes!
It also means that even if one parent invests in a play couch, everyone else can benefit too! You can easily fold them up in the boot and lug them around and even combine your funds to create a “joint” play couch for the whole group. But just imagine what a few play couches could transform into when combined…
Games and activities with a play couch to promote teamwork and communication
While kids will have no trouble navigating teamwork and communication when it comes to a play couch (even if it’s just with you and them!), there’s a number of fun games and activities you can try out for your next play couch playdate!
Reading time on the Funsquare play couch!
If you’re looking for a good activity to incorporate alongside your play couch, we definitely recommend enjoying some reading time on the couch.
Don’t worry, we’re saving the best for last in this list. But with a Funsquare play couch, reading time is more enjoyable than you’d imagine.
Kids are often more engaged when they’re interacting with a play couch, especially when it’s been transformed into an adorable reading nook. We’re sure they’ll love getting to use their teamwork skills to build the best reading-fort together!
If your kids are at the age where they’re starting to read, get them to take turns (for added social benefits) reading books aloud. Or, if you have shy little monsters, you can read to them instead and engage them in a healthy back and forth about the story. It’s a great activity in between all the excitement of the play couch builds!
Role-playing shop-keeper/server/cafe owner
One of the best things about a Funsquare play couch is its ability to transform into just about anything. If the kids want to become servers at the latest, hippest cafe in town? Our play couch can do it.
If they want to be expert checkout kids? A play couch can do it.
Even if they want to work in the most sustainable bakery in town? Funsquare can help. (Peek how well the Fun Scene Bakery add-on enhanced this vibe!)
With this one, there’ll be no limit to the amount of role playing scenes they can create. That’s the best part about bringing a kids play couch to the party: you don’t have to think of many games, because the kids will entertain themselves!
Turn-taking: the ball down the Folding Slope routine!
We all know that taking turns can be really beneficial to the social development of kids. Which is why it’s handy to think of games and activities that encourage kids to take turns.
And one of the funnest ways to do that?
Give them a normally basic activity that they can enhance with a Funsquare. Many parents are finding the trapezium pieces in our Funsquare play couch are super handy as a slide, where kids can roll down balls or even test out different height experiments.
But if you’re looking for a simple, classic game made easy? We recommend investing in the additional Funsquare Folding Slope. Kids can climb the couch, take a turn rolling the ball down (great for some motor skill development!) and even turn it into a fun competition. It’s a great little activity for when their bodies are puffed, but their little minds are still ready for action!
Indoor obstacle course!
Okay, we admit, we have a special place in our hearts for a Funsquare indoor obstacle course. There’s something special about the magic of building a creative course during a rainy day, or with a group of kids ready to let all their energy out.
And with a Funsquare? This idea goes further than you’d think. Our foam pieces are soft, yet durable, and are the perfect landing spot for kids who want to push their limits.
To max out this idea? We recommend peeking at some of our other addons. We’ve had a number of parents combine the Play Pit, Play Steps, Folding Slope, and the Crash Pad (as the ideal finish) to create a super interactive indoor obstacle course that’ll keep kids entertained (and excited) for hours!
Plus, they’re likely to take turns with this one and encourage one another to succeed - meaning there’s a wealth of social development for them to gain while letting out all their big energy!
A Funsquare kids play couch is the perfect solution to enhancing social skills and development of all kinds in little ones, whether used alone or in teams. But if you have an upcoming playdate or want to try out something new for your little one? We recommend a play couch playdate - making learning, fun, and excitement as beneficial and safe as possible.
Explore the full range of open-ended play products today or shop the Funsquare play couch now for limitless play possibilities.
“We love our Funsquare play couch. We got it for our son's 1st birthday. We keep it in his room most of the time and bring it to the living room when we have friends' children over for a play date. It's always a big hit! I am definitely considering getting a second one since it's so much fun!” - Anne
