Unstructured play has no rules, no organization, no goals: sounds futile? Quite the opposite, actually. When a child plays without cause, tapping into his/her imagination, this promotes creativity and even fosters problem solving. It's also stress-free! But what has happened to it? I remember when I was a child (I'm 23 now) I used to play with my neighborhood friend every Summer day, shooting imaginary guns at each other, filling water balloons, circling his pool and creating a giant whirlpool. We did things for absolutely no reason, but we had fun. We saved the world a few times, also took it over I'm pretty sure. I rarely see children expand their imaginations this far anymore.
Unstructured play, according to the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, has dropped a whole 25% between 1981 and 1997. I'm out of date on this one aren't I. Just picture the steady decline and what it's like today. Now, computers and electronic games have taken over play time. Children assume rules of fake characters on their PS3s (no need to use your imagination for that), play by someone else's rules in order to reach different levels of "competency" (established by whoever programmed said game). Yeah, I guess this sounds fun. But I'd rather be outside in the sun, sporting a black cape and turning my friends into geckos with my super powers. As ridiculous as that sounds, there is a high implication that unstructured play advantages a child creatively much more than structured play. So, why the change?
A lot of parents today are simply afraid of letting their children go outside. It's no good, unless, of course, you reside in a dangerous neighborhood. Parents feel more secure knowing their child is sitting in bed playing video games rather than outside climbing trees. It's understandable, especially when your child opts out of unstructured play and wants to follow the zeitgeist and force you to buy them every new video game that comes out biweekly. But research suggests that children are losing out, big time, when they succumb to sitting in front of a screen all day, every day. When children are paying outside, using their imagination, they are actually developing real life skills, such as problem solving, sequencing, organization, social skills, compromise, empathy, sympathy, etc.
Unstructured play miniaturizes a child's world, enabling them to analyze and deal with it. It primes children for learning, allowing them to create their own games with their own rules, strategy, level of success and failure, etc. This actually prepares children for entering society and school.
It also teaches them how to handle stress and conflict. Think about when you were a child, when arguments would spark between you and other kids playing your imaginary game. Children learn to smooth over conflict, mediate, compromise and work as a team just by playing.
Unstructured play also provides problem solving skills, believe it or not. Aliens are entering our atmosphere? Not to worry. Our children can use their fake computer system to knock down their defense systems, then either negotiate a peace treaty, or attack the malevolent beings.
Free playtime promotes discovery, which is the basis of learning. While they're out there frolicking amuk, they're learning things about the world. Yes, grass stains. Yes, we can Shout it out.
And, finally, free playtime gives children a sense of power in a world where they're essentially powerless. This is one of the main reasons we used to love free, imaginative play time. We felt empowered. All day, children are under the authority of others. Give them a chance to be their own authority, safely in your own backyard. Let their imaginations run wild.
So, what can YOU do to implore your child to participate in unstructured play? Many children are already hooked on their iPads and XBoxes. For one, change your mindset. Your child doesn't require structure all day every day: give them the time they need to play. Let children drop extra activities that they no longer show an interest in, especially if it takes a large portion of their day away. They may need that time for play. So, if your child is pouting over the trumpet lessons you're forcing upon them, maybe it's time to put the trumpet down. Let your child be bored. Boredom will force a child to create his/her own creative playtime. Offer them open-ended toys such as blocks, dolls, old clothes, bouncy balls; these types of toys encourage open-ended, imaginative play time. Set TV and computer game timing limits. It might an extreme task breaking the iPad habit, so easy does it. Gather the neighbors with other children to find a safe place for them to engage with each other and save the world, and take turns watching each other's children.
Childhood is the time for self-directed, unstructured play, which bridges the gap between imagination and creativity. Don't let your child miss out on the endlessness of their imagination before it's plucked away from them. Catch them in the rye.
Sources
Spivey, Becky L., M.Ed. "Whatever Happened To Unstructured Play?" (2013): n. pag. Handy Handouts - FREE Educational Handouts for Teachers and Parents. Web. 01 Oct. 2013.
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