October 2013-Parent Tip on the Importance of Play
Being able to play in an unstructured way is a matter of survival. Play is an essential aspect of human beings. In a world of structured play dates, structured team sports, and monitored playground games-somehow we have lost the art of free play.
In the documentary Lost Adventures of Childhood: The High Price of Hyper-Parenting, the narrators discuss the reasons behind play. When kids play in an unstructured way, kids who would not normally be leaders on the school basketball team will arise as natural leaders on the "drop in" court. This is because there is not the stress and anxiety of having all eyes on you as parents and other adults watch in the bleachers. It can be too scary to take a risk in that type of a setting. Unlikely leaders feel the courage to take risks in the backyard court and will often skillfully lead a game of "pick-up" ball.
As soon as there is a goal or a structure in place, it is no longer play. Free play-where the child has to create his or her own rules-stimulates the pre-frontal cortex of the brain, growing connections that increase decision-making and problem-solving. However, if an adult such as a parent or coach does this for a child, this region of the brain is not challenged as much. Children need to be able to take risks in play in order to take risks in the classroom. Ultimately the goal in parenting is to raise an independent, autonomous human being and giving your child the opportunity to explore and play on his or her own is a great way to encourage autonomy.
Here are some benefits of different types of free play:
1) Recess-Increases communication and social skills by making up games, deciding on rules and learning to resolve arguments.
2) Playing Outside-Increase academic achievement and improves behavior.
3) Board Games-Increases the skills around rule following, decision making, social skills and taking turns.
4) Pretend Play-This type of play increases imagination, language, movement, emotional and cognitive skills. Kids who pretend play have are better at complicated and abstract thinking.
5) Blocks-Those kids who play with blocks in preschool fare better in math and problem-solving in high school.
Parents and other adults need to play as well-just as it allows you to let off steam and decreases one's stress level, it does the same for kids. This is not to say that structured play and team sports are not important; they are, but not without healthy doses of unstructured play as well. Different skills are mastered and learned in each type of play. Moral of the story-allowing kids to play, argue and resolve arguments increases the skills needed to problem-solve and communicate. Loosen the reins of parenting a little, and it will go a long way in enhancing your child's skills in and outside of school.
Jennifer Moyer-Taylor
Lead School Counselor
In the documentary Lost Adventures of Childhood: The High Price of Hyper-Parenting, the narrators discuss the reasons behind play. When kids play in an unstructured way, kids who would not normally be leaders on the school basketball team will arise as natural leaders on the "drop in" court. This is because there is not the stress and anxiety of having all eyes on you as parents and other adults watch in the bleachers. It can be too scary to take a risk in that type of a setting. Unlikely leaders feel the courage to take risks in the backyard court and will often skillfully lead a game of "pick-up" ball.
As soon as there is a goal or a structure in place, it is no longer play. Free play-where the child has to create his or her own rules-stimulates the pre-frontal cortex of the brain, growing connections that increase decision-making and problem-solving. However, if an adult such as a parent or coach does this for a child, this region of the brain is not challenged as much. Children need to be able to take risks in play in order to take risks in the classroom. Ultimately the goal in parenting is to raise an independent, autonomous human being and giving your child the opportunity to explore and play on his or her own is a great way to encourage autonomy.
Here are some benefits of different types of free play:
1) Recess-Increases communication and social skills by making up games, deciding on rules and learning to resolve arguments.
2) Playing Outside-Increase academic achievement and improves behavior.
3) Board Games-Increases the skills around rule following, decision making, social skills and taking turns.
4) Pretend Play-This type of play increases imagination, language, movement, emotional and cognitive skills. Kids who pretend play have are better at complicated and abstract thinking.
5) Blocks-Those kids who play with blocks in preschool fare better in math and problem-solving in high school.
Parents and other adults need to play as well-just as it allows you to let off steam and decreases one's stress level, it does the same for kids. This is not to say that structured play and team sports are not important; they are, but not without healthy doses of unstructured play as well. Different skills are mastered and learned in each type of play. Moral of the story-allowing kids to play, argue and resolve arguments increases the skills needed to problem-solve and communicate. Loosen the reins of parenting a little, and it will go a long way in enhancing your child's skills in and outside of school.
Jennifer Moyer-Taylor
Lead School Counselor