Playtime is the best medicine

Playtime the best medicine for children, report says…

The News Journal – October 9, 2006
Lindsey Tanner – Associated Press
Here’s some medicine for stressed-out parents and overscheduled kids: The American Academy of Pediatrics says what children really need for healthy development is more good, old-fashioned playtime.

Many parents load their children’s schedules with get-smart videos, enrichment activities and lots of classes in a drive to help them excel.

Spontaneous, free play – whether it’s chasing butterflies, playing with “true toys” like blocks and dolls, or just romping on the floor with mom and dad – often is sacrified in the shuffle, a new academy report says.

Jennifer Gervasio has a 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter involved in preschool, plus T-ball and ballet. That’s a light schedule compared to her kids’ friends, and Gervasio said her son in particular has trouble finding buddies who are free to come over and just play.
“I truly believe that they’re better off when they can just do their own thing,” Gervasio said

Unstructured play can help children become creative, discover their passions, develop problem-solving skills, relate to others and adjust to school, the academy report says. “Perhaps above all, play is a simple joy that is a cherished part of childhood”, says the report, to be released today.

A lack of spontaneous playtime can create stress for children and parents alike. If it occurs because young children watch get-smart videos or older children lose recess time, it can increase risks for obesity. It may even contribute to depresson for children.

Social pressures and marketing pitches about creating “super children” contribute to a lack of playtime for many families. But so does living in low-income, violence-prone neighborhoods where safe places to play are scarce.

It says enrichment tools and organized activities can be benificial but should not be viewed as a requirement for creating successful children. Above all, they must be balanced with plenty of free play time.

“In the current environment where so many parents feel pressure to be super parents, I believe this message is an important one,” said Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, the report’s lead author and a pediatrician at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Noted pediatrician and author Dr. T. Berry Brazelton praised the academy’s report. “I hope it will have some effect,” Brazelton said.