oversight and adult intervention. Can you recall the adept at computer use, coding, programming and
days when you scraped your knee and just got up and the like, and that’s fine. They need to understand the
kept playing? When you could sit under a tree and technological world. But they also need authentic,
inspect the intricacies of the natural world? When hands-on experiences that can’t be had in a classroom
you could dig and build with natural objects? When it or computer lab. They need to be grounded in the
seemed there was all the time in the world to just be? real world and able to engage in real-life experiences.
They need to do real-time observation, exploration and
Today’s children need those same healthy, authentic
play experiences. They need time to explore the out of
doors, time to think and dream, and time to wonder
interaction with the real world. They need the sensory
experiences of watching a bird find a worm, of tracking
the tiny veins and capillaries on a leaf, of squishing dirt
and experiment.
and water together into mud. Kids need to play self-
How to begin? It’s easier than you might think. Just created games and make up their own rules apart from
unplug and send the kids outside. They won’t need an adult supervision. They need to learn how to try and fail
agenda or directions. Once they find themselves in the and try again to make their play creations work.
great outdoors, they’ll do the rest.
2. Enhanced Decision-making
Here are eight benefits of unstructured, outdoor play.
And they’re important.
Children need to know how to listen and follow
directions in the classroom and in other activities such
1. Authentic Play
as sports. But they also need the opportunity to play
Today’s kids are steeped in a virtual world. They’re
independent of adult oversight. They need to decide
to create something or explore something and then
FLAGLER
FLAGLER SCHOOLS
SCHOOLS AND
AND
TH
E FLA
N ECT
T: :
T HE
FLA GL
GL ER
E R FAMI
FAM I L L Y
Y CON
C ONN
ECT IO
IO N
N P
P R
R ES
ES EN
E NT
2 0 2 0
S U M M ER C A M P
& A C TI VI T I E S
S H OW C AS E
One-stop visit to discover all the opportunities
for summer activities for your children.
Visit providers and sign up on site!
March 26th
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Buddy Taylor Middle School Cafeteria
4500 Belle Terre Pkwy, Palm Coast, FL
10 | F L A G L E R parent M A G A Z I N E