Children Need To Play
Wherever we go we will see children play: in nature and in big cities even though less and less in our modern world. It is so important for children to have unstructured and free play time rather than ‘playing’ with their iPhone and or computer already at a very young age.
In these days of schedules, routines, and many demands and responsibilities, it is increasingly important for children to be allowed to just play and we do not mean play by playing VIDEO GAMES and or watch TV. When children’s lives are over-scheduled with activities, sports, and lessons, they do not have time to themselves and time for unstructured play.
When children watch too much television, their play, their voice and their behavior too often mimics what they see on TV, video or the computer screen. TV watching, video games, and playing mobile apps robs children of valuable time to play in a natural and human way and we have to understand that the child is ‘educated’ and profoundly influenced by the media.
Children very often claim that they are bored, unfortunately in our time of constant media presence children have forgotten and have not learned how to play and how to be bored.
When children are bored, parents readily fill their space of boredom with X-Box time, Video games and or TV and Movie time instead of leaving their children being bored and giving them the space to unwind and discover their own creativity.
Free, imaginative play is very important for the child’s normal social, emotional and cognitive development. It makes children feel better about themselves and adjusted in their daily lives.
It makes them smarter and less stressed and we experience a rather happy and well-adjusted child and young adult within the family, at school and in society.
“Man was born free; and everywhere he is in chains“
– Jean Jacque Rousseau