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A new study published in the Journal of Child Psychiatry and Human Development looked at the evidence for protective effects of peer play during the early years.

“We were hoping to find out whether early play experiences with other children are important for later mental health and wellbeing,” study author Jenny Louise Gibson told us. “We think that play with others protects against future mental health challenges because it is a natural way for children to develop the cognitive and emotional maturity they need to build up a strong social network.”

Through play, explains Gibson, children can learn essential social skills like co-operation, turn taking, managing emotions, and coping with uncertainty. In other words, play helps children develop the skills they need to make and keep friends. There is plenty of research showing that children and adults who have good quality friendships are at lower risk of depression and other adverse health outcomes. In the study, the researchers are showing that the early roots of this social resilience effect could lie in early social play skills.

“Play has always fascinated me because it is such a universal phenomenon and yet it remains poorly understood,” Gibson told us. “Children all around the world engage in play, and many animal species too - from cats to crows, and even some types of fish, yet theories of its importance are contested. Some people think play is just a way to get rid of excess energy, but I think it is something deeper than that - that it is a uniquely beneficial and enjoyable way for us to learn key life skills that support social wellbeing.”

Mental health was a particularly interesting outcome to consider, given increasing concerns for child mental health, especially post-COVID lockdowns.

To test their theory, the researchers used data from a cohort study - a study that tracks the development of a large number of children born at a particular time, over a long period. They took reports of early play capabilities from parents and created a measure of 'peer play ability' when the children were three years old and used that data in a statistical model to predict data on mental health outcomes that had been collected when the children were aged seven years.

“Our study shows that early social play experiences are a key piece of the puzzle when thinking about building children's resilience to mental health challenges,” Gibson told us. “We hope that parents, caregivers, health professionals and early educators will take home the message that providing opportunities for play with other children is an essential part of giving each child the best start in life.”

The research team was really excited to see the results of this study. They had predicted that early peer play could have a role in children's mental health but until now, they didn't have evidence that the effects could be long-lasting. So while these findings weren't surprising in terms of the theory they have been working on, they were delighted to find that the data supported this link between play and mental health.

“What was more surprising is that we still find an influence of early peer play on later mental health after accounting for the effects of early adversities such as family poverty,” Gibson told us. “This gives us hope that play-based intervention could be developed to support our most disadvantaged children.”

The research team believes their study shows that early social play experiences are a key piece of the puzzle when thinking about building children's resilience to mental health challenges.

“We hope that parents, caregivers, health professionals and early educators will take home the message that providing opportunities for play with other children is an essential part of giving each child the best start in life,” Gibson told us. “We hope this research will inspire others to get excited about play and think more deeply about its role in our lives.”