“Since the late 1970s, kids lost 12 hours of free time per week and experienced a 25% decrease in play and a 50% decrease in unstructured outdoor activities (Juster, 2004).” Source: KaBOOM.org: Why Play Matters
Do you sometimes feel like play is a frivolous thing you allow your children to do after all the “work” — of school, organized sports, and extracurricular activities — is done? You are not alone! But that feeling is completely opposite of what you should be feeling. Play is important! You should be fighting for free play. I want you to feel completely justified in regularly opting out of scheduling activities to squeeze in downtime for essential creative, unstructured, pretend play.
I’m going to start by giving you suggestions on specific actions you can take – and follow up with links to organizations, books, research, and videos that will make it easier for you to understand that play is essential to the development and success of your child.
Act!
- Tackle some of the questions and actions in the resource section of Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv (suggest it for your next book club or read with a friend)
- Start a Family Nature Club – figure out the model that might work for you (Ideas for Mom and Family Outdoor Groups)
- Pledge to periodically ask yourself “Is there something better they could be doing?” instead of screen time
- Pick a new park to visit each week
- Prioritize free play time – whether it’s in nature or the backyard. Make sure the kids get some free play time every day. It really is THAT important!
- Subscribe to my Weekly Email for playful reminders
- If you are in Orange County, search the LetsGoOutside.org activities and sign up for one that’s appropriate for your family
WHY PLAY?
Read:
- How to Raise a Wild Child by Dr. Scott Sampson (includes my “hummingbird parent quote”)
- Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv (Book)
- Forward to Nature: Why a Walk in the Woods Could Calm ADHD, Make Your Family Happier, and Deliver Your Kid to Harvard by Richard Louv (ParentMap article)
- Want Your Kids to Get into College? Let Them Play (CNN.com, 2010)
- The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds (Pediatrics, 2007)
- Play Matters: Giving Kids the Childhood They Deserve (Kaboom.org)
- Zero to Eight: Children’s Media Use in America (Infographic from Common Sense Media)
- American Academy of Pediatrics Policy Statement: Children, Adolescents and the Media (Pediatrics, 2013)
- Making Your Kid Play Organized Sports Could Cost Them Their Creativity (QZ, 2014)
Visit:
- Alliance for Childhood
- Children and Nature Network
- U.S. Play Coalition
- National Wildlife Federation: Be Out There (awesome resource and ideas for kids)
- Kaboom.org
- Lego Foundation Research page with lots of research about the importance of playfulness
- Cyberwise.org (Website to help parents of 12 year olds-and-up become good digital citizens)
- Sample iPhone Contract for a 13 Year Old (Huffington Post)
Watch:
Prescription for Play (Kaboom.org)
This was originally created for an OC parent presenting at a school event. If you would like to include this page as a resource for your parent organization, email michele@natureplaytrips.com for a free PDF handout copy or reference on your website as:
Why Play? Powerful Resources to Justify Your Play
https://funorangecountyparks.com/why-play
by
Michele Whiteaker, Community Play Advocate and Certified Interpretive Guide
FunOrangeCountyParks.com
