Why Children Need to Play

In a society that is driven by academic readiness and test scores, have we forgotten the importance of play for children? Preschools now boast academic readiness and kindergarten entrance exam preparation as part of their curriculum. Test scores are now the norm in public schools. So what happened to the days of making mud pies in the backyard, riding bikes and playing dolls? Much of a once play based early childhood time is now replaced with sitting at a table "learning" and "having computer time." Scheduled, non imaginative learning is now the norm.

So what happened?
As parents we have the mind-set that we want our children to "do better than we did" but at what cost. So much of a child's brain a development happens before age three that it seems we have become obsessed with cramming as much information into it as we can. We have forgotten that so many life lessons come from something as simple as playing house or doing a puzzle.

It is not uncommon in today's society for children to be over scheduled. Many parents think more is best and involve their children in preschool programs, sports and the arts (ballet, art classes) for much of the week and weekend. Does this really make a difference? In an article featured on the Academy of American Pediatrics, more and more pediatricians are encouraging parents to let their children play more.

Why do children need to play?
In an article featured on HealthyChildren.org, it states "Kids learn as they play. As they practice making decisions, play with imagination, and take active leadership, they also grow in confidence and resilience." Although activities and family time are important, time spent engaged in just "playing" is equally important for a healthy child's development and growth.

There are so many lessons to be learned through just playing. Children engage their imagination, problem solve, make decisions and explore leadership through engaging in active and undirected play time. Even something as simple as picking out which car to play with engages early math skills (sorting, classification, identification) and teaches children to make choices and pick a direction to go in. Children need the opportunity to learn to "own their environment" though trial, error and experimentation.

It is never too late to make time to play. Think about reserving a special part of everyday to turn off the TV, not have an activity to run too and focus on some good old fashioned playtime. You might just find that the adults in your family enjoy the playtime just as much as the kids do!