The Benefits of Child’s Play Extend Beyond Exercise Article provided by Landscape Structures Inc. and edited by our staff
When you think about the most important part of a child’s school day, what comes to mind? Is it reading? Science? Math or history? What about recess? Children will likely mention recess as their favorite part of the day, and new research shows that this free time is actually a fundamental component to their future development and host to numerous educational opportunities. Yet, if there are such benefits for children in recess and unstructured play, why are school districts everywhere reducing it?
More Than Just Exercise For years, researchers have hypothesized about the link between the reduction in free play and the rise of childhood obesity, but new research also indicates a link between children’s ability to engage in free play and their overall development. A recent meta-study by the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development, commissioned by Landscape Structures Inc., finds that “children’s early experiences and the settings they inhabit play a powerful role in shaping the adults they will become.” The meta-study also finds that unstructured play provides children the opportunity to practice key social, cognitive and physical skills.
The research draws from a wide body of social scientific analyses, case studies, and examinations of play and playground behavior. Educators, child psychologists, playground designers and the American Academy of Pediatrics all contributed to the report. The findings show that when left in unstructured play, children spend roughly 80 percent of their time on the playground engaging in important activities like social, physical, and pretend play. Any or all of these activities have been shown to further a child’s future development. The manner in which playtime is spent is nearly as important as the amount of time spent. Well-designed playgrounds have proven to be a uniquely flexible Growing Up
September 2018
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