The Importance of Free Play
When I reflect back on my childhood, images of school and the work I completed don’t come to mind. Rather I remember the times I spent riding my bike in the cul-de-sac with the other kids who lived near me and exploring the bush that was at the end of my street, playing dolls with my sister and chasey in the backyard with my three siblings. It is the simple, unstructured playtimes that I remember most.
Free playtime is closely associated with childhood. Its benefits cannot be underestimated. Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional wellbeing of children and youth. This is one of the reasons why our Pre-Kindergarten studio is play based, following the Reggio Emilia philosophy of early childhood learning.
‘Children are designed, by natural selection, to play,’ wrote Peter Gray, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Boston College and author, in 2011 in the American Journal of Play. ‘Wherever children are free to play, they do.’
Play contributes to a child’s emotional maturation and regulation, supporting the development of self-control, attention, collaboration and cooperation. In a special report on play, the American Academy of Paediatrics (published in 2018) outlined a host of payoffs from free play, including that it:
- Allows kids to use their creativity and develop their imagination and other strengths
- Encourages kids to interact with and explore the world around them
- Helps children adjust to school and enhance their learning readiness, learning behaviour, and problem-solving skills
- Helps kids learn and practice self-regulation
- Helps kids build decision-making skills
- Teaches kids to work in groups so they learn to share and resolve conflicts
Free play is also fun and relaxing. Some examples of free play include:
- Drawing, colouring, painting, cutting, and gluing with art supplies
- Playing make-believe and dress-up
- Playing on playground equipment, climbing, swinging, running around
- Riding a bike, playing soccer in the backyard
- Reading and looking at books they enjoy, not as part of homework or study
In a time when there can be so much structure, not only in the lives of our children but adults as well, some of the best interactions between parents and kids occur during downtime – just talking, preparing meals together, working on a hobby or art project, playing sports together, or being fully immersed in child-centred play.
Think about ensuring your children have time for free play – they will reap the benefits.
– Joanne Sharpe
Acting Head of Junior School – Student Life