OF3-6/18/07 8:25 AM MORE FREE PLAY PRESCRIBED FOR KIDS orig bdcst #4 - 10/09/06
All work and no play makes jack a dull boy goes the saying. And a report by American Academy of Pediatrics says essentially the same thing. And by PLAY, they don't mean structured, adult-organized team sports. They don't mean get smart videos, or so called enrichment activities. What they mean is old fashioned spontaneous free play.
Numerous studies have shown that unstructured play has many benefits. It can help children become creative, discover their own passions, relate to others and have fun. Yes, FUN. Remember that?
I do recall back in the day
That children used to run and play.
Go out and find some other kid
And have some fun. That's what they did.
Or sometimes they'd find more than one
And then the group would have some fun.
Maybe with blocks or dolls or ball
Or maybe with no toy at all.
Therefore at very little COST.
Has such play been completely LOST?
Is the pure joy of childhood play
Now obsolete and gone away?
If so that is a crying shame
And the adults who are to blame
Do mean the best I'm sure they do
But I have noticed, haven't you?
That often an adult proclivity
Towards over organized activity
Has taken over what we do
And what we have our kids do too.
The world has changed, some people say
Our kids can't just go out and play.
We need someone to supervise them
Someone to lead and organize them.
To do it any other way
Is far too dangerous today.
And in some places that is true
And what's a parent then to do?
The experts say that playtime though
Is quite important, this they know.
Sometimes what kids may need is yes
Not more parenting but less.
The Osgood File. Charles Osgood on the CBS Radio Network.
The Osgood File. June 18th, 2007. |
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