The business of childhood is play, but today’s kids often don’t get enough of it. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, parents faced challenges finding adequate time to let their kids outdoors and active. The addition of shelter-in-place orders presented new complications.
Children need active play to benefit their physical, mental and emotional growth. What happens when they’re denied this opportunity? Here’s what can happen if you schedule every waking moment of your little one’s time with structured activities.
It Stunts Their Physical Growth
The American Heart Association recommends that children age two and older participate in a full hour of moderate-intensity physical activity each day. If your little one comes home from eight hours of sitting in class to veg in front of the television, their muscles don’t get the exercise they need to grow and develop.
Even if your child plays a sport, they might not work every muscle group. Take them to the park where they can climb, swing and jump to their heart’s content.
1. It Inhibits Emotional Development
How long can you focus on work without a break? Imagine that you had to go for eight hours without getting up for coffee or checking your phone. Chances are, you’d feel plenty resentful and start seeking alternate employment.
Your child feels the same way when you structure every moment of their day. Play provides a much-needed break from homework and sports practices. Without this unstructured time, kids don’t learn how to interact with others or regulate their emotions minus an outside force telling them what to do.
2. It Stifles Their Imagination
Have you ever wondered why children seem to enjoy the box more than the gift inside? Kids naturally explore their environments through their imaginations. They don’t only work their muscles through unstructured play they engage their minds.
There are two types of play convergent and divergent. Convergent play leads to a single answer, such as completing a puzzle or getting the soccer ball in the goal. Divergent play is unstructured, such as playing with blocks or dolls. In one study, children who were given divergent play tools performed better on a subsequent test of problem-solving ability than those given convergent toys.
3. It Makes Their Grades Go Down
Unfortunately, the trend in school is to deny children recess for disciplinary or academic reasons. This practice has the opposite effect than is intended instead of performing better on tasks that require focus, it makes students more distracted. Researchers evaluated 6-year-olds and found that those who spend time in unstructured play showed signs of strong executive function and decision-making skills.
Again, think about the way you operate in the workplace. When you have a mental block, do you force yourself to sit there until the answer arises? Chances are, you get up and grab a coffee or chat at the water cooler. Your brain is a muscle. Yes, it’s significantly different than your biceps, but that doesn’t mean it can function at its peak when pressed past its limit. You wouldn’t do curls for three hours straight why expect children to sit quietly in a classroom for that long?
4. It Leads to More Negative Behaviors
Those schools that do reduce recess time often find that children act out more in the classroom. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommend that all students receive at least 20 minutes of recess, but some get none at all. When kids can’t get their wiggle juice out on the playground, they often express that excess energy in inappropriate ways. Tragically, the kids that need movement the most often find it denied due to misbehavior, which perpetuates a vicious cycle.
5. It Adversely Impacts Mental Health
Children with parents who structure every moment of their day could significantly risk anxiety and depression. Researchers discovered that, since 1950, more young people have an external locus of control than earlier generations. That means they feel like they have little control over their fate and outside forces dictate their life’s trajectory.
This mindset leads to anxiety because kids don’t feel like they can control the course of events. They’re carried along on a wave of structured activity, and they react with panic when soccer practice gets canceled because they don’t know what else to do. It can lead to melancholy as children feel like nothing they do makes a difference in their reality.
6. It Increases Childhood Obesity Rates
Childhood obesity rates continue to rise, which bodes poorly for their future health as adults. Children who are overweight or obese tend to become heavy adults, which can strain their cardiovascular system. It also increases their risk of Type 2 diabetes. Finally, because kids who fall into the husky category often face bullying, it can take a toll on their mental health.
7. It Makes Bedtime More Challenging
Finally, when it comes time to put your little ones down for a nap or bedtime, it helps if they feel tired. Regular physical activity makes falling into dreamland less stressful for adults and kids alike. If you value your adult time, let your kids play to tucker them out before tucking them in.
Make Sure Your Kids Get Adequate Unstructured Active Playtime
Children need unstructured active play to develop mentally and physically. Help keep your kids healthy by taking them to the park today.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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