A new study looking at 34 child care centers serving young children found that parents are instrumental in how much physical activity (or not) kids are getting. In all cases, no matter the setting (inner-city, suburban, Head Start, or Montessori) researchers found that kids are sitting sedentary for most of their day and that very few children are meeting physical activity levels for their age group (ages 3-5 years).
Image © DenisNata - Fotolia
Although in some cases, kids weren’t playing enough due to lack of funds, i.e. the center couldn’t afford a decent playground, in many cases, child care staff at these centers blame parents as a main cause for the lack of activity and play. In some cases parents told the child care staff that too much active play may result in injury. In other cases, staff felt pressured by state guidelines and parents to push academics before play.
The researchers note that both societal priorities for young children—safety and school readiness may be hindering children’s physical development and recommend that child advocates should think holistically about the potential unintended consequences of such policies.
Academics before play… in 3 to 5 year olds! It’s a real problem, and not just in this specific study. Plenty of research is stacking up that shows that schools in general are cutting recess time and limiting free play all in the name of academics.
What is free play exactly?
Research shows that real, honest-to-goodness free play means play that is imaginative, unstructured and rambunctious. Free play does not mean play designed and monitored by teachers or parents.
Free play is touted by researchers as one of the most essential developmental activities children take part in. Free play is so important to child development that it’s actually been recognized by the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights as a right of every child. Yet sadly, as the study above, among others, points out, most kids nowadays experience a major lack of this sort of play.
Why parents and schools choose academics over free play
It’s hard to say on a case-by-case basis, but the urge to get ahead academically is strong in the U.S. Researchers on the child care center study note that many parents now ask staff about what their child learned that day vs. asking about developmental motor skills or outdoor time. A 2009 report by the Alliance for Childhood found that children get less than 20 to 30 minutes a day, on average, of free play. The study further found that free play was eaten away by most of the kindergarten day being filled with academics and standardized test preparation. Many parents and most schools simply value academics over play.
In my own experience, when a kid is doing “bad” in school, one of the first suggestions by schools and parents is to cut that child’s sports activity. This is a terrible choice that may be taking away the one good thing a kid has going at school, not to mention making it even harder for that kid to succeed.
Free play benefits
Putting academics before play is entirely backwards thinking because research shows that free play and activity actually improves learning skills. Free play is also completely developmentally necessary for kids. Free play has been shown over and over to be a major component of a successful and happy childhood. For example:
- Free play allows kids to develop important cognitive and social skills; skills that later allow kids to master more complex concepts.
- Free play is linked to memory growth and better problem solving skills.
- Free play has been connected to better mental health, decreased ADHD symptoms, more in-tune attention spans, lower stress levels in kids and even builds resiliency to life’s sometimes harsh events.
- Free play is also linked to better self-regulation, improved language and literacy skills plus math proficiency.
- Free play teaches children how to work well in groups, to share, to negotiate, to resolve conflicts and to learn self-advocacy skills.
- Free play boosts creativity in kids.
- Free play throughout the day actually improves standardized tests scores (pdf) – even for low-income children who fare worse across the board on tests.
- Free play is linked to kids who are less prone to childhood obesity - which is a growing issue in this country today.
Research supporting the benefits of free play goes on and on. If you don’t believe a lack of play is utterly harmful consider research that shows that a too little childhood play time is a main issue convicted killers have in common. Egad.
What free schools do differently
Free schools, or democratic schools, such as Village Free School, believe that play is not only essential to childhood development but free schools understand that free play does encourage, not hinder learning. In a world that more and more is demanding children excel at academics, at the cost of an all work and no play lifestyle, you do have a choice. You can advocate for your child by:
- Support free play in your child’s school – tell schools that all work and no play is damaging.
- Support school law that demands physical activity, free play and recess be included as a normal part of the school day.
- Support your child by allowing him or her to participate in sports and other physical activity – don’t punish kids by removing physical activity and free time.
If all else fails, look into an alternative education path. Your child deserves a real childhood not forced academics in preschool.
Village Free School free play image ©Flickr user artfulblogger
