Why Unstructured Free Playtime is Great For Your Kids

“My children get lots of time to play.  I am running around all week taking them to softball and baseball practices.  Then we have karate and dance classes and we are getting ready to add football and cheer to our schedule as well.  My children are playing all the time!”

These are great activities for your children!  They learn team-work, winning and losing, learn to be coached and meet and make friends.  However, these are adult-structured and adult-organized play.  Understand that although there are plenty of “guardians to keep the children safe to play”,  in these adult monitored and structured play activities,  it is not the best play for your child.  The largest portion of your children’s play activities need to be child-driven rather than adult-directed.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) ,says, play is not just about having fun but about taking risks, experimenting, and testing boundaries.  Parents need to strike a balance that allows your children to reach their potential without pushing them beyond their personal comfort limits, and to not forget to  allow them personal free unstructured playtime.

When scheduling your children’s activities, remember that active child-centered play is a time-tested way of producing healthy, fit young bodies.

Active child-centered play is a time-tested way of producing healthy, fit young bodies.

We shouldn’t treat our children like miniature adults.  There will be plenty of time for them to be stressed and overworked when they actually reach adulthood.  So, we should just let our children be children and let them have plenty of free time to play outside, away from the television and video games.  They will gain social skills, motor skills, and learn about how their bodies move.  They will use their imaginations and entertain each other.  C will also sleep better and gain a respect for nature.

Free unstructured play is a very important for your child’s development.  More and more organized activities should not be at the expense of free play, which is critical to healthy child development for a number of reasons, it promotes…

Creativity and imagination – When there are no fixed rules to follow, their play time becomes a time when they can let their imaginations enter their play time.  Learning to create and use their imagination is important to cognitive development.

Problem-solving abilities – They learn to problem-solve.  Who goes first in the game and what are the rules?   Allow children time to work together on problems before helping resolve a conflict.

Social skills –  When children have the chance to drive their own play, they learn to listen to others playing and to co-operate.  Unstructured play encourages social skills and teamwork. Children take turns, learn to listen and share.   They develop imaginary scenarios and make decisions together. Because they are the ones driving the play, they have the chance to learn on their own among friends.

At Backyard Fun Factory, our goal is to celebrate family and have children grow up with wonderful, lasting childhood memories at home.  Our playsets are proven to be an incredible place for free unstructured play.  Our sets are a whimsical place that will tweak their imaginations and encourage backyard fun and learning.  Call us today to get started with a custom made playset for your own backyard! 940-479-2439