Rough play with dad healthy, University of Newcastle study finds

DADS take note: That rough-and-tumble play with the kids you love so much? It’s great for children emotionally, a new study has found.

ROUGH-AND-TUMBLE play that’s much loved by dads also helps children emotionally, a new study has found.

High-quality physical play is linked to fewer emotional difficulties and better self-regulation in kids, researchers from the University of Newcastle have found.

“We know both girls and boys enjoy physical play with dads, but we were interested to see it also pointed to good outcomes for children as well,” lead researcher Jennifer St George said.

Dad Justin Phillips and his boys Luke and Toby. Picture: David Crosling

“Children whose fathers engage in rough-and-tumble play that was warm and playful are also children with better emotional and behavioural outcomes.”

Dr St George and her team watched 24 pairs of dads and four-year-old kids engage in games such as trying to get each other’s socks off, and kids trying to stop dads from standing up.

“This play involves competitiveness, restraint, role reversal where the child is the strong one, and lots of laughter,” Dr St George said.

Dad Justin Phillips and his boys Luke and Toby. Picture: David Crosling

Dad Justin Phillips and his boys Luke and Toby. Picture: David Crosling

“It’s not aggressive, it’s playful and often involves letting the kids win.”

In such games limits are set by the participants to prevent aggression or injury and to allow children to enjoy themselves and occasionally have the upper hand.

Dr St George said parents sometimes thought rough-and-tumble play would make it harder for children to play quietly at other times, but this was not the case.

“When kids engage in this kind of play in the playground it can mean they are more ready for other, more quiet games at other times,” she said.

“It can provide a real-world opportunity for a child to observe and practise important social skills such as recognising emotions, suppressing impulse and aggression, and sustaining reciprocal play.”

Balwyn North father of two Justin Phillips, 41, loves to play with his sons Luke, 7, and Toby, 9.

“There’s often a bit of rough-and-tumble on the bed in the mornings,” he said.

“The boys come in for a cuddle with us and often I get rolled out of bed by them.”

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Originally published as Rough play with dad healthy, University of Newcastle study finds