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Pediatricians Urge Free Play
Highlights from a new American Academy of Pediatrics report on the importance of play at home and at school
- Children need free play at home and at school
- Play is essential for the cognitive, physical, and emotional well-being of children and youth
- Undirected free play:
- Allows children to develop imagination and physical, mental, and emotional strength
- Helps children conquer fears, practice adult roles, and develop confidence
- Allows children to learn to work with others, share, and self-advocate
- Builds active, healthy bodies
- Play is essential for learning
- It helps children adjust to school settings
- It enhances learning readiness, learning behaviors, and problem-solving skills
- Free play and recess are declining in American schools
- In 1989, 96% of school systems had at least one recess period
- In 1999, only 70% of kindergarten classrooms had recess
- Today, school responses to the No Child Left Behind Act often results in reduced time for recess, creative arts, and physical education
Source: "The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds"
A Clinical Report by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Kenneth R. Ginsberg MD, MS Ed., and the Committee on Communications and Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health
Click here for the full report (PDF format)
Link provided with permission of the American Academy of Pediatrics
Taken from http://www.museumofplay.org/about_play/free_play.html
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In 2005, Playthings Magazine invited a number of children to test a variety of new toys. They also asked the kids, “What makes a good toy?” Here are the top four answers given by the true experts of toys, the children, in the November 2005 issue of Playthings Magazine.
Kids say a good toy:
1. Makes me use my imagination
2. Has many different ways to play
3. Makes me want to invent a toy myself
4. Does not break easily
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