Overscheduled Kids
Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth. But with all of the structured activities and the strictly scheduled lives kids often live these days, some are left without any real time to just play. Even when given time to play, they may be too tired after participating in organized activities to take advantage of the opportunity. There are a host of factors that have led to a decrease in free play time, including a greater emphasis on academic preparation, working parents with little free time to care for children, more electronic screen time, less time spent playing outdoors, perceived risk of play environments, and limited access to outdoor play spaces.
The Importance of Free Play
“Children are designed, by natural selection, to play,” wrote Peter Gray, PhD, professor of psychology at Boston College, in the American Journal of Play. “Wherever children are free to play, they do.” However, the last half-century has seen a decline in kids’ opportunities to play. Precisely how fast and how much the opportunity for real free play has declined is difficult to quantify, though historians suggest that the decline has been continuous and great. It has also led to lasting negative consequences. In that same article, Gray detailed how the lack of play affects emotional development, leading to the rise of anxiety, depression, and problems of attention and self-control.
What Experts Say
In a special report on play, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) outlined a host of payoffs from free play, including that it:
Allows kids to use their creativity and develop their imagination and other strengthsEncourages kids to interact with and explore the world around themHelps children adjust to school and enhance their learning readiness, learning behavior, and problem-solving skillsHelps kids learn and practice self-regulationHelps kids build decision-making skillsTeaches kids to work in groups so they learn to share and resolve conflicts
Of course, free play is also fun, and all that running, biking, and jumping kids often engage in helps build healthy bodies. That’s a significant benefit, considering that 20% of American children are obese. Many experts attribute the dramatic rise in childhood obesity and the decline in physical fitness at least partly to the decline in outdoor play.
Child-Driven Play
Children learn how to regulate fear, anger, and other emotions while playing. This teaches them how to maintain emotional control in threatening and real-life situations, all of which seem to be a strong countervailing force to the impulsivity, hyperactivity, and lack of emotional control that characterize ADHD. At least one play-based intervention aimed at improving the social play skills of children with ADHD has shown significant success by having assigned but free-form play-dates under parental supervision among the children, their parents, a designated friend, and that child’s parents. It’s important to note that this kind of play is meant to be unstructured, child-driven play. It’s not the kind of playtime that’s controlled by adults, and it doesn’t include passive play, such as sitting in front of a video game, computer, or TV.
Examples of Free Play
True free play involves any kind of unstructured activity that encourages children to use their imagination, such as playing with blocks, dolls, and toy cars. It wouldn’t include playing with most electronic toys. A group of kids playing soccer in the backyard together (versus playing on a team with a coach) would be another good example of free play time. This type of active free play is also a good way to help your kids meet their daily physical activity requirements. More examples of free play include:
Drawing, coloring, painting, cutting, and gluing with art supplies Playing make-believe and dress-up Playing on playground equipment, climbing, swinging, running around Reading and looking at books they enjoy, not as part of homework or study
If you’re counting on school recess to provide your child with a healthy dose of free play, you may want to rethink that decision.
A Word From Verywell
If you’re constantly running from activity to activity and your kids are over-scheduled, consider cutting back and adding in some free play. Unstructured play lets your kids explore their imagination and the things around them. In a time when so many parents deal with hectic schedules, it’s good to remember the importance of a little free time. As the AAP notes, some of the best interactions between parents and kids occur during downtime, too. Collaborating on meals, working on a hobby or art project, playing sports together, or even just talking are great ways to bond that don’t require money or elaborate planning. Remember, activities don’t need to be expensive or exciting to be special.
