I believe that I grew up in a kinder, gentler time, in a small town in Northern Ontario, where my friends and I had free run of the town and the bush beyond. I spent a lot of time outdoors with my friends just generally ‘messing around.’ No organized sports, music lessons or after school tutorial sessions. It was called ‘play’ and research now suggests that unstructured play time for children, including unstructured time for teens, is an essential component for healthy development.
A lot of kids today are over-scheduled, so much so that stress is placed on families in an attempt to keep up with the extra-curricular timetable. Witness the rush from school to practice to lesson to game, often with on-the-go takeout meals consumed in the family van. A recent report by the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests “Whereas play protects children’s emotional development, a loss of free time in combination with a hurried lifestyle can be a source of stress, anxiety and may even contribute to depression for many children.”
Society today seems more competitive than it was a few decades ago and many parents ‘super-organize’ their kids with a view toward equipping them for success in later life. However, the AAP “[report] reaffirms that the most valuable and useful character traits that will prepare children for success come not from extracurricular or academic commitments, but from a firm grounding in parental love, role modeling and guidance.”
I suggest that parents take a few moments to consider their kids’ timetables, and at the same time, their own, to see if some activities can be eliminated and replaced by some good old ‘free time’ – time for relaxation, reflection or just plain ‘messing around.’
The AAP has several resources available, including the report summary and a new Resiliency website, featuring additional information on stress reduction and coping skills, as well as a stress management plan teens can personalize to fit their personalities and lifestyles.
Editor’s Note: Calgary area parents recently expressed their own objections to the loss of unstructured play time in the form of afternoon recess, which prompted interesting discussion here on the Chalkboard.
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Play is a very important activity for children. Unstructured time helps imagination, develop independance etc. I think that in an age of easy gratification (video games, TV, many activities all at once) having free time is concerning for parents, who hope to provide their kids with the best (albeit sometimes that means most intense) experience for their kids. There’s an attitude of ‘we should be doing something’, because, let’s face it, as adults, we don’t give ourselves a lot of free ‘play’ time.
Mental health in children and teens is a real concern in Canada. Stress only contributes to anxiety and depression. Here’s some Canadian info on Mental Health http://www.cps.ca/english/advocacy/mentalhealth.htm
Great post
Loved this post and am about to read the AAP report. Thanks!
Hey Kate,
Thanks for your note. I think your blog is great.
For anyone following this, you should check Kates’s post “Ready to Read” (http://peekabooplay.com/2009/04/ready-to-read/) as it speaks to the value of play and the need to not push our kids before they are ready.
Cheers. George
I am looking for information on when a child can play in the yard outside with or without his friends? I have been told that you are not to leave a child supervised but is letting them out in yard while you are in the house still unsupervised? Can a child really have unstructured play-time with a parent hanging over them?
@zoemrichardson: I think kids, HAVE to have time to play without hovering parents. It allows them time to develop their creativity. At least in the yard they will feel like they can do their own thing and aren't just waiting for a parent to give them something to do. One of my favourite reads on this subject is http://freerangekids.wordpress.com/. Lenore has a great head on her shoulders.
@zoemrichardson: I think kids HAVE to have time to play without hovering parents. It allows them time to develop their creativity. At least in the yard they will feel like they can do their own thing and aren’t just waiting for a parent to give them something to do. One of my favourite reads on this subject is http://freerangekids.wordpress.com/. Lenore has a great head on her shoulders.