Even if they are at risk of poor mental health, those friendship networks will often get them through.вЂќ One of the authors, Dr Jenny Gibson from the faculty of education at Cambridge, said: вЂњWe think this connection exists because through playing with others, children acquire the skills to build strong friendships as they get older and start school. Parents, teachers and carers reported lower levels of hyperactivity, fewer behavior and emotional problems among children who have learned to play with their peers pre-school, and they had fewer fights or disagreements with other children.ДЄccording to researchers, the protective link between peer play and mental health persists even for those children at particular risk of mental health problems, or those with additional risk factors such as poverty and maternal distress. Researchers analyzed data from almost 1,700 children in an Australian longitudinal study, taken at ages three and seven and found those with better peer play ability when younger showed fewer signs of poor mental health four years later. The findings have prompted calls for children who are at risk of poor mental health to be given priority access to high-quality playgroups run by early yearsвЂ™ specialists to help protect against future mental health problems. Researchers say it is the quality вЂ“ rather than quantity вЂ“ of play that matters. The study is said to be the first to establish a connection between вЂњpeer play abilityвЂќ before children go to school and improved mental health at the age of seven. Cambridge, SANA вЂ“ The protective link between peer play and mental health persists even for those children at particular risk of mental health problems, according to researchers, The Guardian said in an article.Д¬hildren who learn to play well with their peers by the age of three are likely to enjoy better mental health later in childhood, according to research from the University of Cambridge.

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