Give Play Back to Children

Give Play Back to Children kids and teens

Recently, children have had their playtime obstructed and cut down by a big margin from what they had a couple of years ago. The freedom of play was missing from society for a long while and now, it seems as if it's something no one actually cares enough to bring back. After all, children were only made to focus on academics only and not on play, right? Wrong!

Longer school hours and piling heaps of homework on children has contributed greatly to this outcome and now, most schools and parents are calling for a sanction on playtime at schools, to which we have only one exclamation to make: you're being idiotic. Sure academics help children to learn, but what many have forgotten is the play is the basis of learning for all children under the age of 10. Without the basis, all you're doing is creating further problems for any future academic failings. There's a reason why Finland requires its children to be seven years of age before they begin school. And they have the highest educational standards and results in the world! What's more is that finish elementary schools give children up to 75 minutes of recess time every day whereas elementary schools in the United States can only muster an average of 27 minutes.

Overburdening children with hours and hours of studying times and homework is only going to result in a stressful environment. The days when stress and anxiety were problems faced by adults only are long gone - and children as young as 5 years old can succumb to these mental problems too. As for the argument that playing will only bring the learning capabilities of children down, recent studies have shown that higher playing times and better grades at school have a direct link.

And it's just not studies in which your children can excel if playing times are increased, but their overall development is brought under the light as well. The physical, cognitive, social and emotional aspects of a child are developed massively which all help the child to hone multiple skills in later life and also ensures their brain development is undertaken in the best possible way. Play also helps the bond between a child and his/her parent or caregiver to be strengthened in more ways than one.

First of all, the communication barrier between the two is improved vastly and children learn to let their feelings and emotions known in a more positive way. And secondly, they also learn of each others limitations, wants, likes and dislikes, which helps the relationship to grow. Play helps children to accept other children; realize their shortcomings and work together to minimize them. Emotionally, they also develop friendships and likeness towards each other and get along and resolve conflicts whenever needed.

So you can see from today's assessment (although a relatively minor one) that play is just as important (if not more) than academics for children and there is no way it should be limited or cut down. Instead, we should work on ways to increase playtime as much as possible.

An avid researcher and keen blogger and writer, Jason Walter spends most of his time at playgrounds with his children and on outdoor playground equipment. He also finds ways of conjuring up ways parents can help their children. Jason believes that children shape a healthy society and are its future and draws inspiration for his work from is two sons. You can read more of his writings and you can follow him at