Philosophy of Play and its Role in Children's Intellectual Growth Based on P4C

Undoubtedly, different physical and mental activities are necessary for human growth. Children also need to perform various activities because of going through the most important period of their growth. In fact, playing can have an effective role in satisfying their need for performing both mental and physical activities. However, games have various functions such as promoting children’s intellectual growth, which certainly reinforces intelligent behavior and provides the necessary conditions for language learning and cognitive development of children. The most important feature of thought-provoking games, particularly in the field of philosophy and children, is their contribution to intellectual growth, which is realized through employing some tools such as toys, stories, films, animations, and pictures. Following a deductive approach, this study indicates that playing games accelerates children’s physical and mental growth and provides an environment where their thoughts can be developed in the best way possible. This requires the actualization of their potential for creativity, which demands the development of their imagination in the process of play. Accordingly, it is necessary to provoke their curiosity during this process by creating a challenging and exciting atmosphere.