Pledge to Make Time for Outdoor Play

(ARA) - Tag, jump-rope and swinging on the jungle gym used to be the staples of kids' afternoons and weekends. While the benefits of free play are well-documented, luring kids away from online gaming, instant messaging and TV is easier said than done.

To urge parents to take a new look at old-fashioned play and its numerous benefits, child advocates are asking parents to commit to carving out time to play on behalf of their kids by signing the "Play Pledge." The pledge, developed by the Voice of Play, a play advocacy outreach initiative, asks parents to find time for unstructured play in their kids' busy schedules.

"Play is serious business and essential for healthy child development," says Joe Frost, professor of child development and member of the Board of Advisors for the Voice of Play initiative. "Without play, we are running the risk of raising a generation of children who are lacking in the intellectual, social and physical skills that play builds."

"Parents want to make sure their children have the best opportunities, and it seems that those opportunities start earlier and can be time-consuming," Frost adds. "Ironically, the enrichment activities parents choose can be at the expense of free play -- which in a single activity nurtures emotional, physical and social development."

Formal education can begin earlier than age five, with the advent of pre-kindergarten programs and extracurricular activities that children become involved in before beginning schooling. Between these activities, and the decrease in time for recess for school children, good, old-fashioned playtime is in danger of becoming a thing of the past.

Play Fosters Social Learning
Playgrounds are microcosms of adult social networks, teaching kids valuable lessons about group interaction and social norms, while providing a platform for relationship-building skills. Kids learn by playing alone and in groups: solitary play encourages creativity, reflection and the ability to solve problems and alleviate boredom while group play promotes social roles and helps kids develop cooperation skills, verbal and body language.

Play Fosters Intellectual Learning
When playing games, kids learn skills such as planning, decision-making and creating and understanding strategy, rules and objectives. Through free play, children develop language and reasoning skills, autonomous thinking and problem solving, and improve their ability to focus and control behavior.

"Kids are literally learning how to be adults through play," adds Frost. "These aren't skills that are necessarily learned in the classroom, yet they have an enormous impact on a child's growing process."

Play Has Physical Benefits
There have been numerous alarming statistics reported in recent years about the rise of childhood obesity. Many causes factor into this problem, including genetics, lifestyle, and the younger ages at which kids become computer-savvy. The wealth of video games and television programming for children are also big contributors to kids staying indoors instead of playing outside. In addition to burning calories while playing, various types of playground equipment, such as swings, overhead apparatus and climbing equipment help kids build strong leg, arm and core muscles.

Making a Pledge to Make Time for Play
Frost advocates that parents and children talk about the importance of making time for outdoor play. Parents need to make a commitment to ensure that children have the environment, time and materials for play. Kids need supportive involvement of adults during their play. It can be hard to find the time, but it's an invaluable part of your children's intellectual, social and physical development. Talk with your children about reasonably safe places to play, join them in exploring these places and assist them in creating back yard and neighborhood playgrounds, gardens and natural areas and places for organized games. Encourage the formation of play groups and reprioritize conflicting activities to ensure daily opportunities for children to be outdoors.

Visit http://voiceofplay.org/playPledge.asp to download and sign the free pledge certificate that reinforces why play is so important in kids' lives. As Friedrich Froebel, the inventor of Kindergarten, once said, "Play is the work of children."

To learn more about why play is vital for child development, visit www.voiceofplay.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent