|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
||
HOMEBOOKMARKNEWSLETTERJoin our newsletter to receive news of offers and discountsSearch
AS FEATURED IN...Lucy Siegle On Eithical Living: Sunday March 5, 2006 The Observer
Navigation 3 Wheeler Twins And Tripples
3 Wheelers
9 Months To 11 Years
9 Months To 4 Years
Baby Bags
Bath And Changing Units
Bedding
Birth To 12 Months
Birth To 4 Years
Boori
Buggies
Buggy Accessories
Buggy Boards
Cot Accessories
Cots
Cribs
Grobags Sleeping Bags
Heritage Range
Highchairs
Monitors
Moses Baskets
Nappies
Nursing Chairs
Portable Highchairs
Rocking Horses
Starter Beds
Tandems
Travel Cots
Travel Systems
Twins
Walkers
Parening Books |
The Value of Play
Isn't it ironic that a country whose constitution allows for the pursuit of happiness now feels a collective guilt about the very idea of anything fun? How did this happen? When did we begin placing so much priority on productivity and so little on leisure or on having a good time? Even given the Puritan work ethic, life in America has become so unbalanced that one side of the seesaw is pretty much grounded. But why must we insist that our children, who by their very nature are playful, share these particular values? Why are we so anxious for our children to "act like adults?" But wait, you may be thinking, kids play plenty these days. They play T-ball, soccer, even tennis? Yes, these are forms of play. But the true definition of the word, as it applies to children, is that it be child-directed, open-ended, and intrinsically motivated. It also focuses more on the process than the product, which cannot technically be said about T-ball, soccer, or tennis, where homeruns, goals, and points are typically the focus. However, if we really must have "product" - that is, results - from our children's activities, play has plenty of that to offer, too. For one thing, many experts believe the adult personality is built upon the child's play. According to Playing for Keeps, all of the skills children need to develop into functioning, productive adults originate from play. These skills include literacy, mathematical reasoning, creativity, and social skills. Among the social skills learned, the experts tell us, are the ability to share, cooperate, negotiate, compromise, make and revise rules, and take the perspective of others. Surely we can see the value in such benefits - that these abilities will serve our children better than the ability to name the states' capitals! But, if that's not enough benefit derived, Joan Isenberg and Mary Renck Jalongo, authors of Creative Expression and Play in the Early Childhood Curriculum, argue that play * enables children to explore their world; * develop cultural understandings; * helps children express their thoughts and feelings; and * provides opportunities to meet and solve problems. Additionally, play enables children to deal with stress and to cope with fears they can't yet understand or express. Today's young children are exposed to so much so early and must cope with much more stress than their predecessors ever did. Pay gives them a necessary emotional release and helps them make sense of everything they're experiencing. And as Playing for Keeps points out, when young children act out emotion-laden scenes in their play, such as reassuring a doll that mommy will return, they learn to cope with fears and gain the self-control that will bring them to the next state of development. Writing in Education Week, master teacher Sheila Flaxman states that today's young children are controlled by the "expectations, whims, and rules of adults. Play is the only time they can take control of their world." She goes on to state: "The almost daily media reports of out-of-control young people should be our warning that something is amiss in early childhood." Indeed, retired psychiatrist Stuart Brown, founder of the Institute for Play in Carmel Valley, California, was quoted in Time Magazine as saying that "play deprivation" can lead to "depression, hostility, and the loss of the things that make us human beings." For a great many contemporary adult human beings, balance is a word that has come to symbolize something out of reach. Something desired but elusive, as we work long hours, tend to families, and spend what little free time we have as productively as possible. What used to be considered leisure time (remember lazy Sunday afternoons?) must now be filled. It doesn't matter whether it's with "recreation," chores of one kind or another, or shuttling the children here and there, just so long as we can say we didn't waste it. "What did you do this weekend?" has become a question to be reckoned with on Monday mornings. It demands a smart answer, just as surely as did our eight-grade algebra teacher. If you're an adult who's been giving balance some consideration - who's tired of the treadmill - perhaps you find yourself looking back fondly on what now seems to be an idyllic childhood. Back to the days when time stretched endlessly before you. Back when there were few demands on that time. And, except for summers, weekends, and days when the darkness fell too early, there always seemed to be plenty of it. Shouldn't today's children have similar memories to cling to when they become busy adults? Let's make sure they have quiet moments of solitude. Child-initiated and -directed activity. A break from the relentless competition so prevalent in society. Let's make sure they have a chance to play! Rae Pica is a children's physical activity specialist and the author of Your Active Child: How to Boost Physical, Emotional, and Cognitive Development through Age-Appropriate Activity (McGraw-Hill, 2003). Rae speaks to parent and education groups throughout North America. Visit her and read more articles at http://www.movingandlearning.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
babies - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Taking Home Souvenirs, Not Junk Gift shops are a kid magnet and often a trip highlight! Do you cringe at the sight inexpensive trinkets and novelty items that will be lost or broken in the span of hours? Plan your souvenir strategy early and help your child assemble a collection that is unique and will last for years to come, preserving the memories of your travels together. First, come up with a theme. What is Child Sexual Abuse? What is child sexual abuse? Any sexual activity that is imposed on a child by an adult or an adolescent is a sexual assault and abuse of the power of one person over another. This also includes experiences of child to child, teen to child, teen to teen, if there is an age difference of four or more years. Develop Your Childs Genius: One Step Farther When is a person brilliant? When does a person show his genius? When he goes beyond the usual, beyond the obvious. When he goes one step farther in his thinking, understanding and creativity. What You Can Learn About Life From Your Children You can learn a lot from children.The best part of all is the advice is priceless. Home For The Holidays: Ask Yourself Some Questions Annie easily slipped into becoming the sole caregiver of her parents. What started out as monthly grocery shopping for them, over the course of 2 years became a full time duty, an overwhelming burden and just about broke her emotionally and financially. When A Parent Is Deployed When a parent is deployed with the military it can be very traumatic for the children left behind. Having things for them to do, that makes them feel a part of the family and helping the parent who is gone, is really important. Childrens Discipline: How To Resolve Divorce Parenting Differences? Did you know that inconsistency on matters of discipline gives double messages, produces anxiety and can be very confusing to your children? Children need to know where they stand in their behaviors. It is therefore critical for parents to resolve their differences in matters of children's discipline. I Cant Sleep Without You When my firstborn arrived into this serene and peaceful household, my entire world was transformed into a warzone and funfare at the same time. He became the focus of my attention throughout the entire day and I live to make sure he is alright. How Fathers Can Step Up to Fathering When our oldest son was 2, my wife went out of town for a weekend. When a friend of hers called and I told her she was out of town, she said"So you're home baby-sitting. Children are People, Not Machines When growing up, my father frequently reminded me to "pay attention to the details." That saying became very real to me in the area of parenting. Teenagers and What Parents Should Do About Them Chiladult? Whatever you call them, teenagers are a changin' and parents need to know what to do.Wow. ParentingYour Teenager: Dont Buy the I Dont Know and I Dont Care Attitude "I don't know and I don't care."I've heard those words more than a few times in my office. Lifebooks: Every Adopted Child Needs One Information is gold when you are adopted. Every tiny piece is precious, whether it's a photo or quote from the orphanage staff. What Do You Do When Your Child is Smarter than You? We adopted our first child when he was three months old. When we went to the agency to get him, he promptly stood up on my wife's lap and looked out the window. Because Every Child Is A Born Genuis Graphology for Child development.:- Graphology is the science of understanding the human mind through person's handwriting. Second Letter to My Daughter Dear Camille,As I thumb through the photographs that I carry with me always in my briefcase, it's hard to fathom that the short haired, smiling baby holding a crawfish and wiggling its claws has turned into the beautiful goldilocks girl that demands the stage and wants so much to sing.I feel like such a cliché-all those veteran parents telling us how quickly you would grow up, how it would be over before we know it, how we had best pay attention before it all ended. Water Hazards For Young Children Unfortunately each year many young children drown in swimming pools, other bodies of water, and standing water around the home area. Children must be watched by an adult at all times when in or near water. The Three Best Alternative Treatments for ADHD There are a LOT of alternative treatments for sale out there for people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder who would rather not have to use a strong medication such as Ritalin. Some of these are good, some are fair, and some are bad. Creating a Memorable Travel Journal Using A Stuffed Animal You may remember The Red Couch Project, a book by artists Kevin Clarke and William Least Heat published in the 1980s documenting the travels of a red velvet couch across America.This is a wonderful concept to adapt in creating a travel journal or scrapbook for your child, making a personalized photo history of his adventures and connecting him with the experiences for years to come. Single Mother Sanity Savers Pt. 1 Being a single mother is no easy task. I know.
|
