Recapturing children's freedom of play, By Tracey Vale

About a fortnight ago, I hit upon a documentary on the ABC about how free play has almost disappeared today by comparison to 40 or 50 years ago. The program centred around children in the U.S. and the U.K. and stated some alarming statistics concerning the amount of time children now spend indoors--often 85 to 95 percent of their awake time. Of that time, hours are spent in front of a screen, whether it be television, computer or a multitude of video game formats.

The main focus of the program, however, was not centred on hours of screen time but on the fact that free play is no longer the mainstay of childhood. In the days of black and white photographs, children, either on school holidays, weekends or before they had even started school, would say goodbye to their parents in the morning and join in with other children from their street or neighbourhood. They played child-directed games; rode bikes; skipped; kicked balls; played team sports with their own rules and plans; and, of course, cowboys and Indians/cops and robbers, to name but a few. As well, the parent trusted the child to be responsible and to be a part of a group of children who looked after each other and could negotiate any problems that may have arisen.

Aside from today's increased penchant to screen time, the play time that is encouraged by parents is closely guarded around an environment of 'cotton-woolling' and mistrust. There is too much protection and not enough scope for freedom.

By this, I mean that all childhood play is closely monitored and guided by a nearby parent or adult through fear that the child will have some misfortune or a stranger will get too close. This protection is well-intentioned but works against the child's development of imagination and trust. One woman interviewed in the program said something like "If we breed an environment of mistrust, how can we expect the child to become a thriving adult in a world he can trust?"

As well, this form of monitoring and guiding prevents children's abilities to develop skills of negotiation, co-operation, problem-solving, decision-making, leadership and creative play. If the play is constantly guided by an adult, the child does not develop his imagination to come up with ideas of his own and will look to that person to make decisions or come up with ideas and solutions for him, thus also quelling any leadership skills he may have otherwise developed and needed for his adult world.

Negotiation, co-operation and problem-solving skills are also quashed as any dispute that arises during a monitored session of play is then guided through an adult stepping in and sorting it out. These are all essential skills in need of development from an early age to encourage children to become problem-solvers and negotiators and to be able to see a solution and work well with the people around them. In this way, they are co-operating, and empathising with the people involved.

Such skills are essential throughout their educative years and will promote and enhance their learning experience, giving them a far greater chance of success in an increasingly competitive world. Also, these skills encourage positive self-esteem and a belief in their personal ability in all areas, thereby promoting coping skills and decreasing, a hundred-fold, the possibility of depression and poor mental health.

In short, increasing and encouraging free play develops character strengths and skills to see them through life, no matter what is thrown at them, and will enable them to thrive and succeed wherever their desires take them.

Copyright: Tracey Vale, 2011