How many parents do you know—maybe even you—who call
themselves a kid taxi? From a young age, children have more activities lined up
than most adults: soccer on Mondays, swim lessons on Wednesdays, improv classes
on Saturday mornings and the list goes on. What about those hours in between?
Studies have shown that unstructured play time—activities with no coaches,
teachers, directions or rules—leads to brain development that can't happen
otherwise. While playing and using their imaginations, young brains learn to
balance emotions, solve problems and strengthen social skills.
Here are four tips to scheduling (screen-free) playtime:
1. Schedule it. That seems odd, doesn't
it? But when our lives are driven by the calendar, it's important to make time
for things. Clear the calendar on Sunday afternoons and give your child the
freedom to discover how to spend it. Coordinate with friends or neighbors a day
to meet at the playground. And let them run wild.
2. Be a
hummingbird, not a helicopter. Protecting and helping our children is our
first priority, and you can still do this, but allow children to problem solve
their way out of a challenge before swooping in. Letting your four-year-old
figure out how to zip his coat develops determination. Also, you can watch your
eight-year-old on the swing set, but try watching from the living room. You
both are learning trust and independence.
3. Create
balance. Don't cancel hockey and guitar and math club. Structured
activities teach physical and social skills, discipline and self-esteem, but
there should be room for being a plain old kid, too. Leaving children to their
own devices allows space for imagination, exploration and inventiveness. Take a
family outing to a nearby trail and let your children enjoy themselves
aimlessly—it's OK if they fill their pockets with pine cones or get wet
throwing rocks in the stream.
4. You're the best example. If
your daughter sees you sitting at the kitchen table coloring or enjoying the
peacefulness of the sunset from the deck, you're saying a lot without saying a
word. Spending some of your own time in a meaningful yet carefree way will be
emulated by your little ones.
