4. Room for Wonder and Joy the pattern of over-managing our kids’ lives, but it’s
vital that we do so.
Watching spiders spin a web. Catching grasshoppers in a
jar. Hearing birds sing in the trees and seeing them drop
bits of food into the open beaks of their hatchlings.
Wandering a beach, picking up beautiful shells or bits
of driftwood, smelling the scent of grasses on a warm
summer day. We all need opportunities to absorb the
wonder of nature and to experience the joy of being
part of the natural world. Give your kids the chance to
do these simple things. They’ll benefit immensely. 7. Improved Social Skills
and Interaction
5. Better Classroom Performance
Some schools are experimenting with longer recesses
and more frequent breaks in their school day and every
one of them reports better behavior and engagement
in the classroom. When kids are given enough time
to move and play, they’re better able to focus their
attention on classroom work. They feel better, they
perform better. It’s not rocket science. In other studies,
it’s reported that children who play more outside get a
better night’s sleep. A well-rested child is better able to
focus attention and “get into” lessons in class. Children
who get enough chances for active play feel more
content and happy. Happier kids have lower levels of
stress which produces better classroom performance.
6. Self-reliance Through Exploration
We like it when our children are able to follow
directions—when they’re “coachable,” and that is
an important skill. But it’s also important for kids to
learn how to operate via their own internal rules and
understandings. Children benefit when they’re able to
manage their own behaviors based on their convictions,
when they can make a plan and follow it through.
When they can try and fail and try again to accomplish
a task. All of these skills can only be practiced when kids
have the chance to engage in unstructured play free of
adult supervision and oversight. It may be hard to break
12 | V O L U S I A parent M A G A Z I N E
If you’ve ever watched a group of kids play a game of
softball you might see more arguing about the rules
than actual play. But what you’re seeing is social skills
in the making. Older kids will make the rules and try
to enforce them. Quieter kids will be given chances to
play (or not) and bossy kids will try to run the show. In
the middle of the chaos, children will learn how the
world of rules works and they’ll play a little ball too.
When children are free of adult supervision, they build
leadership skills and learn to work as a community.
Is it pretty? Not always, but there are always lessons
learned. In some of the school where increased free
play has been introduced with fewer rules and the
attitude of “safe enough,” the children earlier seen as
bullies have emerged as leaders. Why? Because they’ve
been successful in more active, hands-on play and have
been given the chance to expend pent-up energy in all-
out activity.
8. Improved Mental Health
The rise in mental health problems amongst kids
as young as pre-school is a testament to our over-
managed, over-tested and earlier to learn environment.
The skills that used to be taught in first grade must now
be mastered in kindergarten. The results are children
with a too hurried and too stressful world. There will
always be expectations in the learning world, but
for those children who enjoy more free time, more
authentic outdoor fun and more opportunity to run
and play, the better they’ll feel about themselves and
their life. We give our children a great gift when we
encourage and champion free play in the great out of
doors.