A parent needs to illustrate how to express emotions acceptably. For example if a child is throwing a fit because they did not get what they wanted they should be taught that if they were to ask politely the outcome of their situation would differ. The action that the parent is taking reinforces the idea of communicating our ideas in a healthy manner (Schickedanz et. al,2001). .
One of the most important ways a child needs to develop is cognitively. There have been many studies that link play to learning. Parents can help to evolve skills in their child such as memory, creativity, perspective taking, language progression, and many more achievements. A way that parents can help their children advance in the field of cognition is by playing games that involve a child using memory or previous learned knowledge. Joan Isenberg and Nancy Quisenberry of The Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) state, "Play is not only children's unique way of learning about their world, but also their way of learning about themselves and how they fit into their world, building on familiar knowledge and deepening their understanding through the reoccurring cycle of learning that is essential to what all children can understand and do"(2002). .
There are a few stages of play that parents need to be aware of so they can play a healthy role in their child's playtime. The first type, sensorimotor play is when a child is experimenting with bodily sensations and motor skills. Parents should select toys that give a response from children. These toys usually create visual or auditory stimuli which help to stimulate the senses and improve motor skills. Infants will giggle or smile when they approve of a toy. Often when given a choice of which toy they wish to play with they will choose that specific toy. Examples of these types of toys are plastic hammers, telephones, etc. As the child gets older they will understand more about the social functions of an object.