tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/childrens-play-61270/articlesChildren's play – The Conversation2023-10-04T16:22:41Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2113332023-10-04T16:22:41Z2023-10-04T16:22:41ZYes, the original Barbie is a stereotype — but children also create their own ‘Barbie worlds’<iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/yes-the-original-barbie-is-a-stereotype-but-children-also-create-their-own-barbie-worlds" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>With the blockbuster <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/08/23/1195387845/the-barbie-movies-success-puts-her-among-historys-top-20-films">success of the <em>Barbie</em> movie</a> and the related <a href="https://www.instyle.com/barbie-movie-brand-collaborations-7558155">expansion of Barbie branding and merchandising</a>, educators and parents may find themselves wondering about Barbie’s original purpose: as a child’s toy.</p>
<p>Barbie has become an icon since her <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Barbie">introduction in 1959</a>. On the positive side, dolls like Barbie can serve as a <a href="https://ucalgary.ca/news/better-and-worse-feminist-scholars-weigh-barbies-legacy#">canvas for imaginative storytelling and role-playing</a>. </p>
<p>Children often create elaborate scenarios, dialogues and relationships among their dolls, and they refer to the thoughts, emotions and desires of
themselves and others while playing, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.13163">supporting language and emotional development</a>. Dolls often act as catalysts for children to explore different roles (or careers) and social scenarios, potentially encouraging aspirations and broadening horizons. </p>
<p>Additionally, Barbie play can <a href="https://theconversation.com/summer-play-that-enriches-kids-reading-skills-8-fine-motor-activities-for-little-fingers-118673">promote fine motor skills</a> as children dress and accessorize the dolls. Dolls can also facilitate <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X211053027">social interaction when shared</a> with peers or caregivers.</p>
<p>However, there is a potential downside. Barbie dolls come with predefined appearances and characteristics, which can <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-kids-like-the-box-more-than-the-toy-the-benefits-of-playing-with-everyday-objects-202301">limit the range of narratives a child may explore</a>. There is also marketing of <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/barbie-expo-water-damage-1.6916471">an entire “Barbie world” of branded objects</a>, which many parents may choose not to invest in for financial or environmental reasons. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/barbie-isnt-just-a-movie-star-now-shes-also-a-virtual-social-media-influencer-207885">Barbie isn't just a movie star now — she's also a virtual social media influencer</a>
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<p>In the face of consumer pressures, while also being mindful of educational aspects of play, parents or caregivers can consider integrating open-ended everyday objects and versatile toys into children’s play with Barbie or other commercially successful toys. </p>
<p>This is a rewarding approach that promotes growth, creative thinking, adaptability and a sense of wonder.</p>
<h2>Addressing stereotypes</h2>
<p>While Mattel, the maker of Barbie, <a href="https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/barbie-body-positive-opinion">today features Barbies featuring multiple skin tones, hairstyles and body types</a>, the original Barbie may reinforce certain stereotypes, particularly related to whiteness and gender roles. And while the Barbie brand has evolved, many unfortunate decisions were made historically. </p>
<p>For example, in 2014 Mattel apologized after readers complained about a book
where Barbie as a computer engineer <a href="https://time.com/3595106/mattel-apologizes-for-making-barbie-look-incompetent-in-barbie-i-can-be-a-computer-engineer/">waited for males to save the day from computer difficulties</a>.</p>
<p>Mattel’s release of Teen Talk Barbie in 1992 sparked controversy due to a particular phrase: <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1491864809">“Math class is tough!”</a> The phrase perpetuates the stereotype that struggling with math is expected or even normal. </p>
<p>The doll inadvertently contributed to a culture that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArNAB9GFDog&t=55s">discourages girls from pursuing mathematics and other STEM fields</a>, reinforced gender biases and <a href="https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1016&context=jift">perpetuated misconceptions</a> that can have far-reaching consequences on children’s educational choices and career aspirations.</p>
<p>When children play with dolls and toys, they are not just having fun, but also absorbing messages and attitudes from their playthings. </p>
<h2>Influence on gendered outcomes</h2>
<p>Researchers name play <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-018-0943-3">in early childhood as one of the powerful early influences on later gendered outcomes</a>. The choice of toys and play materials can contribute to how adults reinforce gendered patterns and habits, encouraging boys and girls to develop different interests and skills. </p>
<p>For example, psychology researchers <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13139">Emily F. Coyle and Lynn Liben</a> explored the impact of gendered toy packaging in five-year-old children’s STEM play with their mothers. Mothers and their child (31 daughters; 30 sons) were randomly assigned to play with a mechanical toy packaged for girls (GoldieBlox) or boys (BobbyBlox). </p>
<p>They discovered children’s independent play varied with game packaging. When preparing for the play, mothers who were provided BobbyBlox built more toy pieces than those given the GoldieBlox. </p>
<p>Also, mothers built more with their sons, whereas they focused more on reading the toy’s instructions with their daughters. Further exploration of young children’s early STEM play patterns may effectively influence later outcomes.</p>
<h2>Creative fusion in play</h2>
<p>Encouraging children to modify and personalize their play experience in a variety of ways can mitigate some of the stereotypical <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-014-0347-y">gender-specific effects of Barbie-like dolls</a>. </p>
<p>Repurposing common materials to craft intricate settings and props, children are empowered to envision boundless scenarios. Creative fusion allows children to transform ordinary items into extraordinary elements within Barbie’s world. For example: </p>
<ul>
<li><p><a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence11080151">Through the use of open-ended materials</a> such as cardboard, fabric and building blocks, children can construct intricate scenes and environments that serve as backdrops for Barbie-like dolls’ adventures. Cardboard boxes, for example, can be resourcefully repurposed into cars, planes or magical chariots. </p></li>
<li><p>Tiles, blocks (like Lego blocks) or other structural building materials can be combined with Barbie play. Designing structures, experimenting with balance and creating functional objects <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42331-5_5">instils foundations for science, technology, engineering and mathematical learning</a>.</p></li>
<li><p>By integrating natural elements like pebbles, leaves and twigs, adults can invite children to construct scenes that enrich the narrative with a sensory and tactile dimension. Natural materials such as sticks and leaves can be transformed into miniature furniture, bridges or forest habitats. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>The personalized aspect of using everyday materials to create accessories or outfits for dolls, or combining toys to allow for envisioning new worlds, fosters a sense of autonomy in children and instils a sense of ownership and pride in their creations.</p>
<p>As children engage in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2019.1597589">collaborative play and work together</a> to construct shared goals, they practice communication, teamwork and negotiation. </p>
<p>Using ordinary items also nurtures an early awareness of environmental consciousness in children, teaching them the value of repurposing materials, reducing waste — and the wondrous capacity of imaginative play.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211333/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ozlem Cankaya receives funding from MacEwan University, The City of Edmonton, and The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
</span></em></p>Children can transform ordinary items into extraordinary play scenes with Barbie and Barbie-like dolls.Ozlem Cankaya, Assistant Professor, Early Childhood Curriculum Studies, MacEwan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2038252023-05-08T18:02:17Z2023-05-08T18:02:17ZToddlers can engage in complex games as they get to know each other over time<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/523939/original/file-20230502-26-1a8jnc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=251%2C110%2C3164%2C1734&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">As toddlers form peer relationships, social pretend play and games increase. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>A mother wondered about her two-year-old child Oliver’s socialization with peers when he played at his friend’s house or when he was at his child-care centre. Since Oliver is still learning to talk, he cannot describe his social experiences.</p>
<p>This is a fictional situation, but researchers encounter similar challenges when gathering information about very young children’s experiences with peers. Yet, it is important to study young children’s socialization with peers, as <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-00748-011">these early, initial interactions set the stage for the quality</a> of later relationships.</p>
<p>In collaboration with colleagues Ayelet Lahat, Holly Recchia, William Bukowski and Jonathan Santo, we used a unique dataset to study how these young children’s relationships form. We included 32 toddlers of two different age cohorts, with children either aged about 20 months or about 30 months. </p>
<p>Each toddler was paired with two same-age, same-gender toddlers. Each pair met for 18 different 45-minute play dates over a four-month period, so each child had a total of 36 play dates. We observed how very young children (20-month-olds) <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/01650254221121854">developed peer relationships</a>, and how they are capable of engaging in complex games as they get to know a peer over time. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Two children seen sitting on a carpet playing" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/523485/original/file-20230429-16-mnyjxf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C17%2C5793%2C3035&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/523485/original/file-20230429-16-mnyjxf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523485/original/file-20230429-16-mnyjxf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523485/original/file-20230429-16-mnyjxf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523485/original/file-20230429-16-mnyjxf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523485/original/file-20230429-16-mnyjxf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523485/original/file-20230429-16-mnyjxf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Each child in the study had 18 play dates with two different peers, for a total of 36 play dates, over a four-month period.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Cottonbro Studio/Pexels)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Interaction between two regular playmates</h2>
<p>Our study recruited parents in a mid-sized Canadian city (in Waterloo Region, Ont.) by phone, based on birth announcements in a local newspaper. Most parents in the sample had at least some post-secondary education.</p>
<p>Collecting data was not easy, since parents had to agree to 36 play dates with one of two regular playmates in the study. Having a series of play dates allowed us <a href="https://doi.org/10.2307/1130782">to explore the changes in children’s interactions</a> as they formed a relationship with a peer. </p>
<p>Play dates alternated between the toddlers’ homes, and between visits with the two different play partners. All participating parents were mothers. Mothers were asked to allow the children to interact freely with one another and not to direct or organize their play; they were free to respond to the toddlers’ overtures.</p>
<p>A researcher followed the children and dictated all peer-related social actions onto one track of an audio tape recorder. On a second track, the children’s verbal and vocal behaviour was recorded.</p>
<h2>How consistent are children with different peers?</h2>
<p>All children’s interactions were coded into: </p>
<ul>
<li>the type of actions: for example, does the child smile, watch or show another child something?</li>
<li>type of sequences: for example, a conflict, a game or a series of actions made by children in response to an action made by the peer, such as a child offering to share a snack and the other child accepting.<br></li>
<li>type of contributions: if a child initiates or ends a sequence.</li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Two children seen sharing a water bottle." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/523934/original/file-20230502-4869-rxhhxq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/523934/original/file-20230502-4869-rxhhxq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523934/original/file-20230502-4869-rxhhxq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523934/original/file-20230502-4869-rxhhxq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523934/original/file-20230502-4869-rxhhxq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523934/original/file-20230502-4869-rxhhxq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523934/original/file-20230502-4869-rxhhxq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A study coded children’s interactions to understand how children develop relationships with peers.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Flickr/Jessica Lucia)</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The dataset is complex <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60144-6">to analyze because each child had two play partners</a>, and because the play took place over time. </p>
<p>However, the dataset is unique and valuable because it provides the opportunity to study how young children develop peer relationships and how consistent they are in how they interact with different children. </p>
<h2>Role of age and language ability</h2>
<p>A first study examined the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/01650254221121854">change in interactions over time</a>. We found that as toddlers form peer relationships, positive interactions such as games, social pretend play and relationship-affirming gestures (like greeting or thanking each other, or laughing in delight) further increased, and conflicts or negative actions (such as inflicting bodily harm or disruptive fussing) decreased.</p>
<p>Toddlers’ interactions become increasingly more organized and positive as the relationship evolved. Age and language ability predicted changes in frequency and length of the different types of sequences.</p>
<h2>Importance of initial behaviours</h2>
<p>A second <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0276932">study on positive and negative actions</a> found that toddlers’ behaviours, when they initially meet, set the stage for the relationships they develop. So, it is important for toddlers to have more positive interactions at the beginning of the relationship.</p>
<p>A third study on social pretend play, which is currently in press, indicated that young children are capable of engaging in social pretend play — a form of complex interaction — with peers.</p>
<p>Successful initiations of pretend play increased faster as children got to know one another, towards later play dates. Children’s age and language abilities were positively associated with the frequency and the length of social pretend play.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Two children seen running outdoors." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/523940/original/file-20230502-22-mz7m14.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/523940/original/file-20230502-22-mz7m14.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523940/original/file-20230502-22-mz7m14.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523940/original/file-20230502-22-mz7m14.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523940/original/file-20230502-22-mz7m14.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523940/original/file-20230502-22-mz7m14.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523940/original/file-20230502-22-mz7m14.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Changes in children’s interactions as they get to know one another are complex.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Pexels/ Caleb Oquendo)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Consistent play partners matter</h2>
<p>Changes in children’s interactions as they get to know one another are complex.
Overall, positive interactions tend to increase and early positive interactions predict later positive interactions.</p>
<p>Caregivers and parents should be aware that toddlers develop relationships with peers. Having a consistent play partner is important, as children’s interactions become more involved and sophisticated once they get to know one another. </p>
<p>It is important for young children to have a positive play partner, as a positive peer can promote positive peer interactions and relationships.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Two children seen playing with sand." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/523484/original/file-20230429-18-tq8yu0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/523484/original/file-20230429-18-tq8yu0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523484/original/file-20230429-18-tq8yu0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523484/original/file-20230429-18-tq8yu0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523484/original/file-20230429-18-tq8yu0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523484/original/file-20230429-18-tq8yu0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523484/original/file-20230429-18-tq8yu0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">It is important for young children to have a positive play partner.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Pexels/Yan Krukau)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Socially sophisticated play</h2>
<p>These findings suggest several considerations and practices for parents and caregivers and for child policy. </p>
<p>It is important for caregivers and parents to intervene and support children when they experience negative interactions with peers as children get to know one another (during the first few times when two unfamiliar toddlers meet) and to encourage positive interactions between them. If a child doesn’t know how to initiate interactions with a peer, adults may model or encourage the child to invite the peer to play games by sharing toys.</p>
<p>Our study documents that even 20-month-old children are able to engage in socially sophisticated play. Parents and all caregivers and educators should provide materials to enable very young children’s play. </p>
<p>The opportunity to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-012370877-9.00066-9">develop relationships with specific peers can be fostered</a> by regularly attending early childhood education programs or regularly playing with the same children.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/203825/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hildy Ross receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michal Perlman receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Lawson Foundation, McCain Foundation and others.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nina Howe receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Concordia University Research Chair in Early Childhood Development and Education. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Zhangjing Luo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A unique dataset from 32 children on 36 different play dates provided the opportunity to study how young children develop peer relationships, and how consistent they are with different children.Zhangjing Luo, Ph.D Student, Developmental Psychology and Education, University of TorontoHildy Ross, Distinguished Professor Emerita, Department of Psychology, University of WaterlooMichal Perlman, Professor of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of TorontoNina Howe, Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Research Chair in Early Childhood Development and Education, Concordia UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2023012023-04-18T20:02:44Z2023-04-18T20:02:44ZWhen kids like the box more than the toy: The benefits of playing with everyday objects<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521611/original/file-20230418-1223-8sess3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=658%2C77%2C3604%2C3037&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">If children love boxes and other upcycled items, do parents really need to invest in 'eco toys'? </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Many have observed that sometimes when given a toy as a present, <a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-why-young-children-often-prefer-wrapping-paper-and-boxes-to-actual-presents-70671">children play with the box the toy came in, or even the gift wrapping</a>.</p>
<p>In earlier generations, children’s play materials were often homemade or relatively simple. Commercial or hand-made toys were made from durable and long-lasting materials. </p>
<p>Today, mass-produced plastic toys with <a href="https://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=ueQUEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA25&dq=Sluss,+2021+play+materials&ots=uHtTVA0FaS&sig=3Tyyl726iZarZtpM0QqOe13hgjc#v=onepage&q=Sluss%2C%202021%20play%20materials&f=false">limited purpose have permanently entered children’s learning environments</a>. These toys are often designed to be used in specific ways, with limited imaginative play opportunities. </p>
<p>A trend in <a href="https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1120194.pdf">the marketing of</a> sustainable toys coincides both with addressing ecological concerns, and with educational interest in play materials that <a href="https://fairydustteaching.com/2016/10/loose-parts">allow children to play</a> in many ways.</p>
<p>A type of play known by researchers and educators as “loose parts play” <a href="https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1225658.pdf">involves children</a> playing with and re-purposing materials that <a href="https://www.inspiringscotland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Loose-Parts-Play-Toolkit-2019-web.pdf">can be used in multiple ways</a>. This can include playing with everyday, natural or manufactured parts (like cardboard, sticks, pots and pans, sand or beads not originally intended for play) or with commercial toys like blocks or stackable cups.</p>
<p>The language of <a href="https://ojs.lboro.ac.uk/SDEC/article/view/1204/1171">loose parts</a> to talk about the use of unrestricted items in children’s play was first used by architect Simon Nicholson in the 70s, who discussed a “theory of loose parts” when writing about playground and educational design.</p>
<p>My research with colleagues is examining which materials — including store-bought and natural or upcycled items — are most conducive to specific types of quality play in young children’s environments. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A toddler seen playing with blocks." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521368/original/file-20230417-24-awxrlw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521368/original/file-20230417-24-awxrlw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521368/original/file-20230417-24-awxrlw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521368/original/file-20230417-24-awxrlw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521368/original/file-20230417-24-awxrlw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521368/original/file-20230417-24-awxrlw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521368/original/file-20230417-24-awxrlw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Through play, children make connections and integrate their experiences.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What is play?</h2>
<p>Play is often defined as an activity pursued <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2004-21781-011">for its own sake and characterized largely by its processes rather than end goals</a>. Although the exact definition of play is debated, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9680672/">researchers agree it is exceptionally complex</a>.</p>
<p>Play has also been described as an integrating process, <a href="https://www.child-encyclopedia.com/school-readiness/according-experts/role-schools-and-communities-childrens-school-transition">providing an ecosystem where children can make connections between previous experiences</a>, represent their ideas in different ways, imagine possibilities, explore and create new meanings. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/mathematical-thinking-begins-in-the-early-years-with-dialogue-and-real-world-exploration-128282">Mathematical thinking begins in the early years with dialogue and real-world exploration</a>
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<p>Such complexity can be seen in children’s play themes, materials, content, social interactions, and the understandings children demonstrate in their play. </p>
<p>The more complex the play, the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/IYC.0b013e31821e995c">more it impacts development</a>. Even a small dose of quality <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195395761.013.0011">play improves children’s performance on subsequent cognitive development tasks</a>. </p>
<h2>Complex play, skills and benefits</h2>
<p>The skills acquired in play — including overcoming impulses, behaviour control, exploration and discovery, problem-solving, social interaction, and attention to process and outcomes — are foundational <a href="http://www.tojet.net/articles/v18i4/1841.pdf">cognitive structures that also drive learning</a>.</p>
<p>Children’s play themes generally follow the <a href="https://www.exchangepress.com/catalog/product/bridging-research-and-practice-seven-loose-parts-myths-busted/5025634/">ideas inherent in the materials and toys available</a>. </p>
<p>However, as noted, materials and toys used for children’s play <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190319182447id_/https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/82151298.pdf">have changed significantly over the years</a>, reflecting societal changes, technological advancements and shifts in understanding child development. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/acAv1C4LYVQ?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">How to use stacking cups for speech and language development.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Early learning and child-care communities today widely incorporate loose parts for their perceived potential to offer high-quality play opportunities. Such opportunities allow children to use their <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2012-13642-018">imaginations and explore their surroundings</a> and support children’s cognitive development. </p>
<h2>Education in Canada</h2>
<p>In Canada, Alberta, Manitoba and Nova Scotia’s education guidelines for early childhood explicitly discuss the importance of loose parts play. The Nova Scotia Curriculum, for instance, acknowledges that the use of loose parts encourages “<a href="https://www.ednet.ns.ca/docs/nselcurriculumframework.pdf">creativity and open-ended learning</a>.” </p>
<p>Six other provincial frameworks don’t use the words “loose parts,” but equally stress the importance of this kind of play. While many parents, educators and policy-makers recognize the benefits of involving children in play with loose parts, the basic evidence regarding children’s indoor play with loose materials is unknown. </p>
<p>There are only a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-017-9220-9">handful of empirical studies on indoor loose parts play with limited focus on its developmental benefits</a> beyond children’s physical and social development. Research has narrowly focused on children’s outdoor play with loose parts and mostly on <a href="https://doi.org/10.18357/jcs.v42i4.18103">physical</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12025">social development</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Children seen with sand and toys." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521367/original/file-20230417-26-drtsuh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521367/original/file-20230417-26-drtsuh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521367/original/file-20230417-26-drtsuh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521367/original/file-20230417-26-drtsuh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521367/original/file-20230417-26-drtsuh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521367/original/file-20230417-26-drtsuh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521367/original/file-20230417-26-drtsuh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">What is the relationship between children’s indoor play with loose parts and children’s cognitive skills?</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Current research has not examined children’s indoor play with loose parts and its relationship to children’s cognitive skills. As a result, educators and policy-makers have little empirical evidence on which to base important decisions about what materials to invest in and integrate into children’s learning environments.</p>
<h2>Equitable play opportunities</h2>
<p>Children from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds start kindergarten disproportionately behind their more affluent and privileged peers in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.91.1.116">knowledge and educational performance</a>. </p>
<p>Low-income families <a href="https://www.museumofplay.org/app/uploads/2022/01/5-2-article-the-use-of-play-materials-in-early-intervention_0.pdf">often cannot afford toys</a> for children. Could household objects (like plastic tubs or egg cartons) offer equitable play opportunities for all children, if early childhood programs and professionals supported parents with up-cycling items into play things? </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-spotlights-equity-and-access-issues-with-childrens-right-to-play-137187">Coronavirus spotlights equity and access issues with children's right to play</a>
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<p>My colleagues and I are conducting research to address gaps in our understanding of children’s loose parts play. Specifically, we examine the play types and play engagement levels of children between the ages of four and five who participate in our study. </p>
<p>We also take into account the effects of children’s cognitive development, parental income and education on how young children play with everyday objects, both when they play by themselves and with their parents. </p>
<p>We just finished collecting data in the first phase of our studies focused on children’s solitary play. Children were given opportunities to play with either a box of carefully curated loose parts like blocks, felt balls, yarn, pinecones or a toy that had only a limited function: percussion instruments.</p>
<h2>Cognitive and language development</h2>
<p>We collected data using video recordings of children’s play in two sessions (one with loose parts and the other session with the limited-purpose toy as a control), parent questionnaires and a cognitive measurement tool for benchmarking children’s cognitive and language development. </p>
<p>We are now analyzing crucial relationships between children’s play with different loose objects and children’s cognitive development, and considering key social determinants such as gender, socioeconomic status and maternal education. </p>
<p>Such knowledge will support educators and parents with an understanding of which materials are most conducive to specific types of quality play in young children’s environments.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/202301/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ozlem Cankaya is affiliated with Terra Centre and Edmonton Council for Early Learning and Child Care. MacEwan University funds Dr. Cankaya's loose parts play research. </span></em></p>How should we understand what toys or ‘loose part’ materials support children’s play, and what’s the relationship of parents’ education and income to this? A study aims to find out.Ozlem Cankaya, Assistant Professor, Early Childhood Curriculum Studies, MacEwan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1962732022-12-20T22:36:49Z2022-12-20T22:36:49ZGive the gift of presence and love during the holidays<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501606/original/file-20221216-37196-zd431c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C28%2C6270%2C3666&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Family traditions and being present provide children with trusted, safe, secure, loving experiences and relationships that are important for their healthy development and future self.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The holidays are a time for family, connection and love. Family traditions are an important component of the holiday season. They are constant and reliable. They allow us to slow down and be in the moment, appreciate each other and <a href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_gratitude_changes_you_and_your_brain">express gratitude</a>.</p>
<p>The holidays are happy times where <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/fch.0b013e3181b91fe3">generations and families</a> come together to <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/in-praise-of-gratitude-201211215561">share time with and show generosity</a> to one another. These are particularly important experiences in childhood, when we are starting to <a href="https://developingchild.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2004/04/Young-Children-Develop-in-an-Environment-of-Relationships.pdf">understand relationships and how the world works</a>. </p>
<p>These special times together — laughing, squabbling, playing — allow us to be part of <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/on-parenting/children-awe-emotion/2021/11/29/0f78a4b0-4c8e-11ec-b0b0-766bbbe79347_story.html">something larger than ourselves</a>. To love and feel loved. They create memories we can take with us and <a href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/five_ways_to_talk_with_your_kids_so_they_feel_loved">provide children with a sense of security</a>. </p>
<p>It also allows us to look forward to something enjoyable. Family traditions allow an opportunity to <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2009-04489-000">share the love we have for each other</a> and recognize the importance of being together.</p>
<h2>Love is important</h2>
<p>Love is the greatest gift we can give our children. The opportunity to be seen, heard and understood and to feel valued, worthy and special is <a href="https://www.parent.com/blogs/conversations/the-most-important-thing-children-need-is-just-love">invaluable to their holistic development</a>. </p>
<p>Childhood experiences impact who we become and how we understand relationships and the world. They <a href="https://horizons.gc.ca/en/2019/11/14/social-epigenetics-how-your-early-life-environment-gets-under-your-skin/">live under our skin</a> for our whole lives, creating patterns which can be difficult (but not impossible) to change.</p>
<p>Children are constantly evolving, forming ideas, making connections and developing relationships with the most important people in their lives. These relationships impact their <a href="https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/may2017/caring-relationships-heart-early-brain-development">development, neurology, the way they interpret and understand themselves and their experiences</a> throughout their lives. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A mother watches her daughter hand an ornament on a Christmas tree" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501607/original/file-20221216-19-9tdrue.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501607/original/file-20221216-19-9tdrue.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501607/original/file-20221216-19-9tdrue.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501607/original/file-20221216-19-9tdrue.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501607/original/file-20221216-19-9tdrue.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501607/original/file-20221216-19-9tdrue.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501607/original/file-20221216-19-9tdrue.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Family traditions during the holidays allow parents and children to share their love and recognize the importance of being together.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Knowing who your child is and what they love allows you to see their future self and build experiences to support their development. These opportunities to <a href="https://ideas.ted.com/every-kid-needs-to-feel-seen-here-are-2-ways-you-can-do-this/">feel seen and known</a> are important for your child’s sense of belonging in the family, within themselves and in the world. They will learn who they truly are, what makes them unique and perhaps share their beautiful sparkle as part of the family tradition.</p>
<h2>Holiday struggles</h2>
<p>There can be a lot of <a href="https://neurosciencenews.com/holiday-stress-parents-19823/">pressure and stress during the holidays</a>. </p>
<p>Parents can feel overwhelmed by holiday preparations and expectations — especially if they are back in their childhood home or with their parents and siblings. These experiences may <a href="https://www.todaysparent.com/family/parenting/parenting-triggers/">bring back old patterns of behaviours from their own childhoods</a>. </p>
<p>Parents might unintentionally be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.childyouth.2020.105218">less sensitive toward their children</a> and respond more impulsively based on their <a href="https://www.zerotothree.org/resource/the-past-is-present-the-impact-of-your-childhood-experiences-on-how-you-parent-today/">own unconscious experiences</a>, resulting in unanticipated expectations or responses from the child’s perspective. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A woman sitting with her head in her hands at a table covered in Christmas presents and decoration" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501608/original/file-20221216-22-2e7vx9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501608/original/file-20221216-22-2e7vx9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=409&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501608/original/file-20221216-22-2e7vx9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=409&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501608/original/file-20221216-22-2e7vx9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=409&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501608/original/file-20221216-22-2e7vx9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=514&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501608/original/file-20221216-22-2e7vx9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=514&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501608/original/file-20221216-22-2e7vx9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=514&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Parenting is difficult and there can be added pressure and stress during holidays.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Family gatherings and events can also cause us to feel like we need to be perfect or provide perfect experiences. This added pressure is often externalized to children because parents feel judged based on their children’s behaviour and engagement. This is not fair to children, who do not understand the nuances of complex social situations, patterns and family history. </p>
<p>For the child, it might feel like dad or mom is less available or responds sharply and quickly, in a way that is not typical of them. Creating time and space to share feelings will help your child to understand the environment, while reinforcing that the love you share is secure, stable and constant.</p>
<h2>Setting expectations</h2>
<p>Parenting is difficult. We are often consumed by <a href="https://www.fatherly.com/love-money/parent-shame-guilt-stress-men">shame and guilt</a> when things go wrong, believing we should know how to do it naturally. </p>
<p>We tend to parent the way we were parented because <a href="https://theconversation.com/infancy-and-early-childhood-matter-so-much-because-of-attachment-117733">parenting is intergenerational</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2018.1446451">lives under our skin</a> the same way our childhood experiences do. If we grew up in a family that felt emotionally secure, safe and loving, we will likely create secure, trusted relationships. Early experiences impact who we become and how we understand the world.</p>
<p>Creating safe, secure, loving environments and being present with your children is the greatest gift you can give. <a href="https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/boundaries_and_expectations_are_important_parenting_tools">Creating boundaries and setting expectations</a> is important for helping children feel in control of themselves and their environment. </p>
<h2>Addressing an upset</h2>
<p>If there is an upset, have an age-appropriate <a href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/family_conflict_is_normal_its_the_repair_that_matters">conversation with your child to talk about what happened</a> and why you were upset. It’s important for children to understand what occurred and what they have done.</p>
<p>Without clarity, the child is left to interpret the situation from their own limited perspective. They may create an unintended association, such as associating getting in trouble with expressing their feelings, when the consequence was to teach them about how to use their words and not throw things in the house when upset.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A man sits in front of his daughter, who is sitting on a couch, holding her hand and talking to her" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501605/original/file-20221216-12-xz5pa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501605/original/file-20221216-12-xz5pa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501605/original/file-20221216-12-xz5pa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501605/original/file-20221216-12-xz5pa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501605/original/file-20221216-12-xz5pa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501605/original/file-20221216-12-xz5pa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501605/original/file-20221216-12-xz5pa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">If you end up getting upset at your child over the holidays, have an age-appropriate conversation with them to help them understand what occurred and why you reacted the way you did.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The parent privately sharing their feelings and experiences helps the child understand their upset feelings and provide healthy and safe alternatives for expressing and sharing their feelings. </p>
<p>The parent may also find balance in this reflection by spending time together, cuddling, talking, drawing and playing. The child can <a href="https://theconversation.com/6-ways-to-help-kids-express-their-feelings-about-the-coronavirus-pandemic-through-art-146503?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=bylinetwitterbutton">process their emotions and experiences</a> while connecting and reconciling, which will make everyone feel cozy in a space of security, trust and love.</p>
<h2>Creating secure relationships</h2>
<p>Moments of reconciliation create secure loving connections and <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2008-13837-005">become a child’s internal model</a>. This model becomes ingrained within them, affecting their holistic development, positively impacting who they become and how they understand themselves, relationships and the world. </p>
<p>Forming secure connections positively affects a child’s self-esteem, confidence, organizational skills, emotional and social skills and school performance. It affects everything in a child’s life because they learn to self-regulate, develop empathy, deal with emotions and conflict and take care of themselves. They learn they can manage the unknown by learning perseverance and resilience. They learn they matter, are valued, worthwhile and loved.</p>
<p>Family traditions and being present provide children with trusted, safe, secure, loving experiences and relationships that are important for their healthy development and future self. They are the greatest gift you can give your child.</p>
<p>This is love in action — the ripple effect that will last a lifetime.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/196273/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nikki Martyn does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Parenting is difficult and there can be added pressure and stress during holidays. Creating safe, secure, loving environments and being present with your children is the greatest gift you can give.Nikki Martyn, Program Head of Early Childhood Studies, University of Guelph-HumberLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1932182022-11-09T02:42:23Z2022-11-09T02:42:23ZThis new ‘risky’ playground is a work of art – and a place for kids to escape their mollycoddling parents<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493846/original/file-20221107-15-hw0mzq.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=6%2C0%2C4019%2C3017&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Mike Hewson</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Imagine this: a heap of colourful plastic buckets stacked on top of each other to form a climbable bridge, monolithic bluestone boulders holding up a contorted slide, a pile of concrete demolition debris moonlighting as a resting spot. </p>
<p>At every point, children can be seen swinging their bodies from warped, dented monkey bars and balancing along rope-webs strung between stones.</p>
<p>Would you let your kids come here and play? </p>
<p>This new playground in Melbourne’s Southbank is the work of artist Mike Hewson. The project can be confusing for the public. Is it a playground? A sculpture? Or an unfinished piece of infrastructure?</p>
<p>Hewson’s playable public art parks in Sydney and Melbourne are known to be “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-07/risk-play-playground-city-of-melbourne-not-dangerous-safe/101622592">risky</a>” – but risk means different things to different people. And it’s exactly the risks his art takes that makes it so valuable.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1589357985792667648"}"></div></p>
<h2>The risk of no risk</h2>
<p>Urban play has long been synonymous with the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/32893804_The_Ludic_city_Exploring_the_potential_of_public_spaces">cultural life of art and the city</a>. In the decades of Europe’s baby boom, new playground concepts emerged with a focus on “free play” (distinct from earlier playgrounds resembling <a href="https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/dangerous-playgrounds-1900s/">open-air gymnasiums</a>), as one of children’s fundamental needs.</p>
<p>“Tufsen”, Egon Möller-Nielsen’s unusual sculpture was the first unscripted <a href="https://digitaltmuseum.se/011015020013/konstnaren-egon-moller-nielsens-lekskulptur-tuffsen-med-barn">free play sculpture</a> of its kind, created in 1949, bringing together abstract art and play in a public space. </p>
<p>This new approach generated a boom in playground sculptures.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/494286/original/file-20221108-24-gaqspe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Kids play on a concrete sculpture." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/494286/original/file-20221108-24-gaqspe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/494286/original/file-20221108-24-gaqspe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=455&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494286/original/file-20221108-24-gaqspe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=455&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494286/original/file-20221108-24-gaqspe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=455&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494286/original/file-20221108-24-gaqspe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=572&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494286/original/file-20221108-24-gaqspe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=572&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494286/original/file-20221108-24-gaqspe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=572&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Egon Möller-Nielsen’s Tufsen in Stockholm was the first free-play sculpture.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Sune Sundahl</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In the early 1980s, we saw a significant shift in response to questions of risk, hazards and children’s safety, which resulted in <a href="https://celos.ca/wiki/uploads/CityParks/PlaygroundSafetyWhitePaper-Kids-n-Safe-Play-CJD.pdf">fears and threats of litigation</a>. </p>
<p>As play-safety standards were introduced in Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom, <a href="https://www.transfer-arch.com/playground-project/">innovation</a> in the arena of a playable public realm slowed. As soon as the standards began to be referenced in liability cases, playspace designers began to follow them. </p>
<p>Designs outside the specifications were avoided and playgrounds were standardised into the <a href="https://www.vox.com/videos/2019/2/21/18229434/risky-playground-design">“boring” versions</a> that still dominate most of our play spaces, where the potential movement of children is scripted: up, across and down.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493830/original/file-20221107-17-9gc6d8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="This playground seems to be balancing on boulders." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493830/original/file-20221107-17-9gc6d8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493830/original/file-20221107-17-9gc6d8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493830/original/file-20221107-17-9gc6d8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493830/original/file-20221107-17-9gc6d8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493830/original/file-20221107-17-9gc6d8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493830/original/file-20221107-17-9gc6d8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493830/original/file-20221107-17-9gc6d8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The new playground at Melbourne’s Southbank doesn’t look like the playgrounds of your childhood.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Mike Hewson</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Over the past 30 years, interpretations of <a href="https://www.standards.org.au/news/new-australian-standard-for-playground-safety">these safety standards</a> continue to regularly confuse the meanings of “risk” and “hazard”.
A risk is something the child is aware of, forcing them to identify, analyse and overcome the challenge; a hazard puts one in danger because a condition for injury exists the user cannot perceive.</p>
<p>Conflating these meanings has resulted in a cultural attitude toward play that is <a href="https://www.academia.edu/1479806/Risk_deficit_disorder">highly risk-averse</a>. </p>
<p>This risk-aversion is in contrast to the mounting research on the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3499858/">benefits of risk</a> for children. </p>
<p>Risk-aversion can have <a href="https://researchdirect.westernsydney.edu.au/islandora/object/uws:50781/">long-term health implications</a> on adolescence and into adulthood, potentially impacting the development of anxiety, depression, obesity and diabetes.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493834/original/file-20221107-25-tyv924.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="This playground seems to be built of plastic buckets." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493834/original/file-20221107-25-tyv924.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493834/original/file-20221107-25-tyv924.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493834/original/file-20221107-25-tyv924.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493834/original/file-20221107-25-tyv924.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493834/original/file-20221107-25-tyv924.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493834/original/file-20221107-25-tyv924.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493834/original/file-20221107-25-tyv924.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Hewson is also behind Pockets Park in Leichhardt, Sydney.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Mike Hewson</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In fact, researchers Jonathan Haidt and Pamela Paresky <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jan/10/by-mollycoddling-our-children-were-fuelling-mental-illness-in-teenagers">suggest</a> contemporary society “mollycoddles” children. The risk-of-no-risk is a question of resilience – not only physical but also, perhaps more importantly, <a href="https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience">psychological resilience</a>. </p>
<p>Psychological resilience is the capacity for adaptation in the face of tragedy, trauma, adversity, threats or significant stress. Put simply, resilience is the ability to “bounce back” from challenging experiences. </p>
<p>Based on this premise, Hewson’s “risky” sculptural play environments can bolster, fortify and increase psychological resilience among children. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493835/original/file-20221107-25-71diu3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A kid climbs on a brick wall." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493835/original/file-20221107-25-71diu3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493835/original/file-20221107-25-71diu3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493835/original/file-20221107-25-71diu3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493835/original/file-20221107-25-71diu3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493835/original/file-20221107-25-71diu3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493835/original/file-20221107-25-71diu3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493835/original/file-20221107-25-71diu3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">These playgrounds can bolster psychological resilience.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Mike Hewson</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In contrast to the conventional playground where movement is predetermined, Hewson’s projects offer children the opportunity to explore unfamiliar, unscripted, innovative and playable sculptural worlds. </p>
<p>When given the chance, even very young children <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7721/chilyoutenvi.25.2.0301">show clear abilities</a> to negotiate unfamiliar spaces, manage risks and determine their own limitations.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/giant-tube-slides-and-broken-legs-why-the-latest-playground-craze-is-a-serious-hazard-181073">Giant tube slides and broken legs: why the latest playground craze is a serious hazard</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Playable sculpture</h2>
<p>Hewson’s sculptural playgrounds don’t just offer the opportunity for children to take risks. Their very construction appears to be risky: all playable parts appear to be improvised, cobbled together with cardboard and chicken wire, balanced just-so or teetering on the verge of collapse.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/494310/original/file-20221109-9155-zrdnlv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A girl climbs in a cage on a boulder." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/494310/original/file-20221109-9155-zrdnlv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/494310/original/file-20221109-9155-zrdnlv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494310/original/file-20221109-9155-zrdnlv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494310/original/file-20221109-9155-zrdnlv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494310/original/file-20221109-9155-zrdnlv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494310/original/file-20221109-9155-zrdnlv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494310/original/file-20221109-9155-zrdnlv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Hewson’s sculptures seem like they’re teetering on the verge of collapse.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Mike Hewson</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>And yet nothing is quite as it appears. With Hewson’s background in engineering, each playable element has been meticulously designed, structurally engineered and thoughtfully integrated into the urban realm. </p>
<p>This illusion of danger gives the works a sense of the uncanny, appealing to art-lovers and children alike. </p>
<p>In the art world, Hewson’s works are <a href="https://www.artlink.com.au/articles/4930/unfettered-actions-sportification-playgrounds-and-/">important</a> for their bold and cheeky irreverence of the traditions of public art. </p>
<p>By making these sculptures playable – and seemingly defective – they tip the hierarchy of “art” upside down. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493841/original/file-20221107-3517-uc8m3a.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A kid swings on warped monkey bars." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493841/original/file-20221107-3517-uc8m3a.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493841/original/file-20221107-3517-uc8m3a.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493841/original/file-20221107-3517-uc8m3a.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493841/original/file-20221107-3517-uc8m3a.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493841/original/file-20221107-3517-uc8m3a.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493841/original/file-20221107-3517-uc8m3a.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493841/original/file-20221107-3517-uc8m3a.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">This might look broken – but it’s highly engineered.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Mike Hewson</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Australia has a long-standing reputation of presenting “<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/public-art-and-social-history-is-the-monument-dead-20141211-122bzf.html">plonk art</a>” in public spaces. Plonk art is a pejorative slang term for the large Modernist artworks intended for government plazas, corporate atriums and open parks designed to be looked at but not touched. </p>
<p>Hewson takes sculpture off its pedestal and integrates it directly into the public domain, while also engaging local communities in the creative development stages of his projects. </p>
<p>For this experimentation, he receives some <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/nsw/trying-to-push-the-conversation-the-inner-west-playground-dividing-parents-20220211-p59vm8.html">backlash</a> from certain sections of the community – but his convictions keep him pushing forward.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493826/original/file-20221107-25-7m89vo.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Hewson's packed playground." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493826/original/file-20221107-25-7m89vo.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493826/original/file-20221107-25-7m89vo.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493826/original/file-20221107-25-7m89vo.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493826/original/file-20221107-25-7m89vo.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493826/original/file-20221107-25-7m89vo.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493826/original/file-20221107-25-7m89vo.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493826/original/file-20221107-25-7m89vo.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">We need to give kids space to take risks.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Mike Hewson</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>His works advance the role of public art in creating a more culturally rich, intergenerational public domain while also challenging conventions of the ubiquitous de-risked playground.</p>
<p>So what do you think? Is it time we integrate more playable art opportunities into the public realm?</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/bringing-art-into-public-spaces-can-improve-the-social-fabric-of-a-city-162991">Bringing art into public spaces can improve the social fabric of a city</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/193218/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sanné Mestrom receives funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p>The new playground in Melbourne’s Southbank is the work of artist Mike Hewson – and it’s exactly the ‘risk’ it proposes that makes it so valuable.Sanné Mestrom, Senior Lecturer, DECRA Fellow, Sydney College of the Arts, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1851392022-06-23T20:08:44Z2022-06-23T20:08:44ZRelax, it’s just a ringlight for kids. Toys like the ‘vlogger set’ prepare them for a digital world<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/470218/original/file-20220622-19-6v5xwr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=787%2C0%2C3249%2C2151&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Recent outrage surrounding a young children’s toy “vlogger” set echoes moral panics of the past, particularly when words such as children, play and digital come together. </p>
<p>Aldi recently released a new <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/aldi-targets-modern-kids-with-dj-vlogger-and-gamer-role-play-toys-223353703.html">range of wooden toys</a>, including the Vlogger set for children aged 3 and older. This set has sparked <a href="https://twitter.com/bhakthi/status/1534302252521115648">discussion on Twitter</a>, including criticism. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1534302252521115648"}"></div></p>
<p>As <a href="https://www.digitalchild.org.au/">researchers</a> who explore the ways young children are growing up in the digital age, we want to move this conversation past any initial shock. </p>
<p>Instead of feeding into any moral panic, we would suggest taking the time to consider what children can get out of playing with such toys. They might benefit from activities like practising the making of digital media and mimicking the real-world practices of the adults in their lives.</p>
<h2>Children live in a digital age</h2>
<p>Digital technology is increasingly part of children’s everyday lives. They are being introduced to media-making practices at younger ages than in the past. </p>
<p>Children don’t just watch their favourite content online. They produce their own media when they film what’s happening around them. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/online-and-out-there-how-children-view-privacy-differently-from-adults-38535">Online and out there: how children view privacy differently from adults</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Children also observe adults’ own media practices. <a href="https://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/research/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Creating-Our-Future-Results-of-the-National-Arts-Participation-Survey-PDF.pdf">Many Australians</a> create their own digital media content. </p>
<p>And most future <a href="https://www.fya.org.au/app/uploads/2021/09/new-work-order-2015.pdf">jobs are going to require digital skills</a>. </p>
<p>Not only is <a href="https://nyupress.org/9781479846894/social-media-entertainment/">social media entertainment</a> a legitimate and growing industry, learning how to communicate through media-making practices is important for children now and to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00220272.2014.966152">build upon in the future</a>. Young children might use filters on video calls with family but as they move through their tween and teen years they may have to make video presentations at school or choose to connect with friends through video-orientated platforms such as TikTok, SnapChat and Instagram. </p>
<p>Whether we like it or not, this is the reality for many young people. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Young girl poses as her mother takes a video on her mobile phone" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/470216/original/file-20220622-7895-cf0hg6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/470216/original/file-20220622-7895-cf0hg6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/470216/original/file-20220622-7895-cf0hg6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/470216/original/file-20220622-7895-cf0hg6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/470216/original/file-20220622-7895-cf0hg6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/470216/original/file-20220622-7895-cf0hg6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/470216/original/file-20220622-7895-cf0hg6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Children need to gain digital literacy early on in a world where digital media are pervasive.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>People do have concerns about children online</h2>
<p>Of course, there is ongoing concern about children online. </p>
<p>Controversy about child influencers or “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/may/09/uk-must-protect-child-influencers-exploitation-social-media">kidfluencers</a>” continues to fuel debate about the presence and exploitation of children in online media entertainment. A notorious example was <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-exploiting-kids-for-cash-goes-wrong-on-youtube-the-lessons-of-daddyofive-76932">DaddyOFive</a>, where children’s reactions to “pranks” by their parents were shown on YouTube. Other examples include popular YouTube content of <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-49975644">children unboxing toys</a> and the rise of “<a href="https://journal.media-culture.org.au/index.php/mcjournal/article/view/1022">micro-microcelebrities</a>” – young celebrities who derive their exposure and fame through their parents’ sharing or “<a href="https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/parenting4digitalfuture/2015/06/17/managing-your-childs-digital-footprint-and-or-parent-bloggers-ahead-of-brit-mums-on-the-20th-of-june/">sharenting</a>”, online. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/when-exploiting-kids-for-cash-goes-wrong-on-youtube-the-lessons-of-daddyofive-76932">When exploiting kids for cash goes wrong on YouTube: the lessons of DaddyOFive</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>These examples understandably call for greater consideration of how children are represented online. It’s essential to critically examine <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/01/business/media/social-media-influencers-kids.html">exploitative commercialisation practices</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/posting-a-childs-life-for-the-world-to-see-is-a-privacy-issue-20887">champion children’s right to privacy</a>. At the same time, it’s important to remember that not all media produced by and for children are inherently bad or harmful. </p>
<p>Children are at some stage likely to produce media and <a href="https://theconversation.com/online-and-out-there-how-children-view-privacy-differently-from-adults-38535">share things online</a>. Organisations such as <a href="https://www.commonsense.org/">Common Sense</a> and Australia’s <a href="https://www.esafety.gov.au/kids">eSafety Commissioner</a> provide useful resources for families to help children navigate the production and consumption of online media in guided and considered ways. </p>
<p>Through this lens, toys like this Vlogger set could also be considered a resource for parents and educators to start conversations with young children about what it means to make content online. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/posting-a-childs-life-for-the-world-to-see-is-a-privacy-issue-20887">Posting a child's life for the world to see is a privacy issue</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Children need to learn media literacy</h2>
<p>Wooden toy versions of digital devices, such as cameras, laptops, phones and tablets, are common.</p>
<p>We understand it can be unsettling to think about children playing with toys that reflect our own media practices. However, if we consider the shifting practices of media production and distribution, it is possible to understand that children can learn important ideas from these toys. They can begin to develop early understandings of <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-live-in-an-age-of-fake-news-but-australian-children-are-not-learning-enough-about-media-literacy-141371">media literacy</a> and <a href="https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjet.12791">how to use technology</a>.</p>
<p>Take the vlogger set, for example. In media production, lighting is an essential part of ensuring we can communicate our intended meaning to our audience. We can create mood, convey emotion and set audience expectations. Through exploring the ringlight feature of the vlogger toy children are learning how to apply <a href="https://medialiteracy.org.au/index.php/framework/">media languages</a>. </p>
<p>Through playful exploration and imagined production, children can start to think not only about what they share but how they share and who they share with. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-live-in-an-age-of-fake-news-but-australian-children-are-not-learning-enough-about-media-literacy-141371">We live in an age of 'fake news'. But Australian children are not learning enough about media literacy</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Young boy playing with a stethoscope listens to teddy's chest" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/470219/original/file-20220622-23-gmoi6i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/470219/original/file-20220622-23-gmoi6i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/470219/original/file-20220622-23-gmoi6i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/470219/original/file-20220622-23-gmoi6i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/470219/original/file-20220622-23-gmoi6i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/470219/original/file-20220622-23-gmoi6i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/470219/original/file-20220622-23-gmoi6i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Children have long played with toy sets representing adult occupations. Now they’ve been updated to include the digital world.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Let the children play</h2>
<p>Children’s imaginative role-playing toys have many benefits. These include being able to act out real and imagined situations, <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-toys-really-be-educational-well-that-depends-on-the-parents-33672">especially when parents are involved with play</a>. There are countless versions of these toys, including chef sets, doctors kits, cleaning sets and tool belts. </p>
<p>While adults might buy these sets in the hope that their child will be inspired to start a career journey, we don’t expect every child who plays with a chef set to become a chef. We would hope one day they’ll learn to cook since that’s an important everyday life skill. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/can-toys-really-be-educational-well-that-depends-on-the-parents-33672">Can toys really be 'educational'? Well that depends on the parents</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The vlogger toy is no different. Some might argue it encourages children to be YouTube stars or influencers. And if some children want to be part of that profession (and it is a <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-66038-7_8">legitimate profession for some</a>), then they can look back at the cute photos their parents took of them and maybe posted online, using the vlogger set, and remember where it all started.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/185139/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amanda Levido is affiliated with the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Aleesha Rodriguez is affiliated with the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child.</span></em></p>Some finds toys for toddlers based on digital devices a bit confronting. But really they’re just updated versions of traditional toys for make-believe play such as doctor and tradie tool sets.Amanda Levido, Research Fellow - Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, Queensland University of TechnologyAleesha Rodriguez, Research Fellow at Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, Queensland University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1847162022-06-16T16:20:12Z2022-06-16T16:20:12Z6 ways fathers can share love and connection with their babies, preschoolers and young children<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468569/original/file-20220613-18-iu12qi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=46%2C270%2C4838%2C2970&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Through a loving connection, children learn what it means to take safe risks.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Pexels/Anna Shvets)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The early years are the most dynamic time of life, <a href="https://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/brain-architecture/">producing more than a million neural connections each second</a>. For parents or caregivers, this time offers a wonderful opportunity to impact children’s lives, allowing children to see and experience relationships and the world as <a href="https://theconversation.com/infancy-and-early-childhood-matter-so-much-because-of-attachment-117733">balanced, secure and loving</a>. </p>
<p>Through a loving connection, children learn what it means to be a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.58.2.281">good person</a>, to be weak and strong, to be <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_the_power_of_vulnerability?language=en">vulnerable</a>, to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2014.1000888">take safe risks</a>, to make <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s42844-021-00039-5">mistakes and repair</a> and self-regulate hurt, anger and other powerful feelings. </p>
<p>These are invaluable lessons that can live within your child and provide a <a href="https://youtu.be/Ox58VDUTGVo">solid foundation</a> from which to build a secure, loving self and relationships. </p>
<h2>Children’s growth and development</h2>
<p>Fathers offer children diverse experiences and can positively impact their long-term development and well-being. A survey of approximately 2,200 parents in the United States found <a href="https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/series/tuning-in-parents-of-young-children-tell-us-what-they-think-know-and-need#parent-voices">90 per cent of fathers identified with the statement that parenting was their greatest joy</a>. Interestingly, 76 per cent said it was also their greatest challenge. The survey was conducted by the U.S. non-profit <a href="https://www.zerotothree.org/">Zero to Three</a> that works to support early connections between caregivers and babies and toddlers.</p>
<p>From birth, children are learning how to physically engage with the world and move their bodies to make things happen. Through attuned physical and emotionally responsive caregiving, they experience a <a href="https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203440841">secure base</a> and develop a sense of the world as safe. They feel seen and heard. This allows children, in turn, to grow up to support the development of meaningful, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2019.1589057">loving and trusted relationships</a>. For a child, this depends on experiencing a caregivers’ vulnerable loving self, who shows up and is emotionally present with them. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/fathers-day-involved-dads-are-healthier-and-happier-117650">Father's Day: Involved dads are healthier and happier</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>As toddlers and younger children begin to explore the world more independently, they enjoy engaging in <a href="https://theconversation.com/kids-learn-valuable-life-skills-through-rough-and-tumble-play-with-their-dads-119241">rough and tumble play</a> and learn boundaries, how to follow rules and social-emotional skills. </p>
<p>Research has found that fathers involved with their children’s lives tend to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51027-5_24">ask children more questions</a>, <a href="https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/341-the-daddy-factor-the-crucial-impact-of-fathers-on-young-children-s-development">significantly increasing the child’s communication skills and language development</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A little girl is seen sitting on her father's shoulders." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468568/original/file-20220613-22-66j7s9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468568/original/file-20220613-22-66j7s9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468568/original/file-20220613-22-66j7s9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468568/original/file-20220613-22-66j7s9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468568/original/file-20220613-22-66j7s9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468568/original/file-20220613-22-66j7s9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468568/original/file-20220613-22-66j7s9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A secure base is important for children.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Pexels/ Brett Sayles)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Fathers often push their children to get through difficult feelings when they want to quit, and in so doing, help them <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs42844-021-00039-5">build resilience</a>. They support <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13510">thinking and problem solving</a>, often modelling and explaining the reasoning or decisions for completing a task. This supports the development of critical thinking and executive function skills. </p>
<p>Whether you are a father, parent or caregiver or are contemplating becoming one, here are some ways to share love and connection with your young child.</p>
<h2>Tips for sharing love and connection</h2>
<p><strong>1. Listen:</strong> Children are learning <a href="https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Birth-to-Three-Matters-Booklet.pdf">intensively from birth to age three</a> in ways parents may not imagine. Create space and time to <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237306205_WATCH_WAIT_AND_WONDER_An_Infant-led_Approach_to_Infant-parent_Psychotherapy">watch, wait, wonder</a> and listen to how your child perceives the world. Allow yourself to feel and explore the magic of the world through your child’s eyes. This will provide your child the experience of feeling <a href="https://drdansiegel.com/">seen and heard, to know they are important and worthy of love</a>. This will help you form a trusted and secure connection with them.</p>
<p><strong>2. Share:</strong> Create trust by sharing yourself: who you are, what you love, your history and childhood. Children seek connection from birth, well before they can talk. Communicate and talk with <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20191001-the-word-gap-that-affects-how-your-babys-brain-grows">your baby and young child</a>, and they will learn about the world. As humans, sharing our feelings and experiences, and taking the risk of being vulnerable, is important to building meaningful, loving connections. There is strength and beauty <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/in-it-together/201902/emotional-vulnerability-the-path-connection">in the vulnerable gift of yourself</a>.</p>
<p><strong>3. Play:</strong> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-V3yGgtEpg">From infancy</a>, children <a href="https://learningthroughplay.com/explore-the-research/the-scientific-case-for-learning-through-play/">learn through play</a>. It is how they <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X13498337">understand, process</a> and make meaning of the world. Play is fun and engaging and it allows for attuned, loving and responsive connection. Engage and play with your child in developmentally appropriate ways. </p>
<p>Consider something that interests your child, and also share what you enjoy with them. Sharing play can help build a loving, trusting relationship that will last a lifetime. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A father seen playing on the ground with his son." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468575/original/file-20220613-17-z6yml8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468575/original/file-20220613-17-z6yml8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468575/original/file-20220613-17-z6yml8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468575/original/file-20220613-17-z6yml8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468575/original/file-20220613-17-z6yml8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468575/original/file-20220613-17-z6yml8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468575/original/file-20220613-17-z6yml8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Children make meaning of their world through play.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Ketut Subiyanto/Pexels)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>4. Storytime:</strong> Reading and sharing stories (real or imagined) <a href="https://theconversation.com/7-favourite-books-for-connecting-with-your-preschooler-119987">is a wonderful way to connect and share a loving snuggle time</a>. This is important for children to create a <a href="https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/play-learning/literacy-reading-stories/reading-storytelling">love of reading</a> and develop listening, critical thinking and literacy skills and experience a calm relaxing time together, feeling secure and connected. You might also discover brilliant magical moments when your child shares their world with you.</p>
<p><strong>5. Adventure and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2019.1589056">explore</a>:</strong> When children are preschoolers and older, imagining a world and building a fort is exciting. This kind of <a href="https://unicefkidpower.org/fun-family-activities-resources/">open-ended play using simple objects from around the home</a> develops spatial reasoning and problem solving skills. Pitching a tent or gazing at the moon allows children to see, hear and experience the world from a new perspective. </p>
<p>Going on a nature hunt to discover the many facets of the outdoors allows children to understand the world and allows you to share your interests and knowledge with them. For example, finding a snail can be one of the most brilliant events: You could explore how they live and move, observing the snail’s shell. You might discuss <a href="https://bedtimemath.org/fun-math-fibonacci-snails/">fascinating insights</a> about shapes, or <a href="https://youtu.be/2tv6Ej6JVho">patterns in nature</a>. Share in the awe and wonder.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/wonder-and-wisdom-in-a-childrens-forest-nature-program-106692">Wonder and wisdom in a children's forest nature program</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><strong>6. Model love:</strong> Be intentional about how you live your life, what you show your child and how you treat the people you and your child love. Remember, they are watching and learning from you all the time. Be the best dad or caregiver you can be. </p>
<p>Love <a href="https://horizons.gc.ca/en/2019/11/14/social-epigenetics-how-your-early-life-environment-gets-under-your-skin/">gets under your child’s skin</a> and lives within them forever. It fills their hearts and teaches them they are always enough — and allows them to confidently sparkle and shoot for the stars. The ripple effect of love is incredible. For this Father’s Day, create a ripple with your child and see what beauty and wonder evolves.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/184716/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nikki Martyn does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Dads and caregivers play important roles in supporting the development of loving relationships.Nikki Martyn, Program Head of Early Childhood Studies, University of Guelph-HumberLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1775182022-04-12T13:00:02Z2022-04-12T13:00:02ZAs kids’ activities reopen, parents share insights about keeping families active during COVID-19 shutdowns<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/456162/original/file-20220404-13-f45zgf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C143%2C7452%2C4187&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The forced slow down the pandemic offered may have long-lasting effects on children and families' activities.
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Organized play and <a href="https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/documents/ncov/phm/2021/10/covid-19-guidance-youth-sports.pdf?sc_lang=en">sporting opportunities for children have</a> finally started to resume after having just <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html">passed the two-year mark of the pandemic</a>.</p>
<p>As parents know too well, the pandemic led to <a href="https://www.ontario.ca/page/covid-19-government-service-changes-and-public-closures">extended closures of settings that previously supported children’s play and sport, like parks, community centres and sport facilities</a>. </p>
<p>Our team of researchers in the <a href="https://www.childpalab.ca">Child Health and Physical Activity Lab at Western University</a> wanted to understand COVID-19’s impact on children’s activity levels. Via social media and sports organizations, we recruited Ontario parents and their children (under 12 years), to hear their perspectives in interviews.</p>
<p>We also wanted to know parents’ plans for returning their children to physical activities or sport when COVID-19 cases were still present in the community, or if they were planning to wait until after the pandemic had ended. </p>
<p>We conducted interviews in December 2020 and January 2021 to learn more. Eleven parents who participated were from urban communities across Ontario and one was from a rural community. Seven lived in a semi-detached or detached home, two lived in an apartment or condominium and two respondents did not relay detail about their living quarters. All nine children who participated lived in urban areas. </p>
<h2>Children and adults missed socializing</h2>
<p>Getting active by engaging in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2016-0195">play</a> and <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0151729">sport</a> is important for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4860-0">children’s healthy development</a>.
Playing in the neighbourhood, or attending an organized activity such as soccer or dance, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4860-0">can enhance children’s social skills, cognitive development</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-021-00376-w">promote a better night’s sleep</a>. </p>
<p>As we heard in our study, children and adults also rely on play and organized physical activities to connect with friends and community. Children we spoke with noted that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12344-w">they really missed seeing their friends and sport coaches</a> when public health measures restricted their participation in physical activities. </p>
<p>Parents also missed the social interaction that came with attending their children’s extracurricular activities. One parent said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Well, I guess when you’re at the dance studio five nights a week and then all of a sudden you’re not there anymore … it’s like for her, it was more like the loss of activity. For me, it was I feel it was my that was my social time.”</p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A child sitting in ballet wear." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/456149/original/file-20220404-20-yp0wez.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/456149/original/file-20220404-20-yp0wez.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/456149/original/file-20220404-20-yp0wez.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/456149/original/file-20220404-20-yp0wez.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/456149/original/file-20220404-20-yp0wez.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/456149/original/file-20220404-20-yp0wez.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/456149/original/file-20220404-20-yp0wez.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Parents talked about missing socializing time during their kids’ activities.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Financial, weather, space barriers</h2>
<p>New financial barriers arose during the pandemic, such as the cost of financing new toys for children to play with while at home for extended periods of time. One parent said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“We tried to purchase some aids in the form of a climber or swing set or bike but like literally everything was sold out … anything that was left available was, like, exorbitantly priced.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Parents cited the cold weather and long winter as a challenge for getting children engaged in activity. One parent said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“In the summer, we’re very, very active. But yeah, in the winter … it’s getting hard again because I will get up and get bundled up … But my four-year-old wants to wear shorts all day, every day. I can’t, like he fights every morning when I try to take him to school to put splash pants or snow pants on … he just refuses to get ready to go outside.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>A parent who lived in an apartment talked about missing outdoor space:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“We have no yard; we have no balcony. And our neighbour in the summer at one point just said, look, if you want to use our backyard, you can come sit here, which made a huge difference.”</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>New ways to be active</h2>
<p>Both parents and their children reported that they found new ways to get active. Many families reported spending time outdoors, practising sport with family members inside in their back or front yards and exploring their neighbourhoods. One child said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I got to see the neighbourhood kids in the summer, and I made some new friends.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Despite the cold weather in Canada, it turns out that the pandemic encouraged some families to put their snow gear on and get outside. Getting outdoors was the most frequently mentioned solution used by parents and their children, regarding getting active. </p>
<p>Children spoke about using <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12344-w">virtual platforms</a>, such as YouTube and TikTok to get moving. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A father and daughter seen in front of a laptop doing exercise on the floor." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/456164/original/file-20220404-13-8pzpi1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/456164/original/file-20220404-13-8pzpi1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/456164/original/file-20220404-13-8pzpi1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/456164/original/file-20220404-13-8pzpi1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/456164/original/file-20220404-13-8pzpi1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/456164/original/file-20220404-13-8pzpi1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/456164/original/file-20220404-13-8pzpi1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Some children used virtual platforms to explore movement, while one child was involved in regular virtual team sport training.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Some parents noted social media could be a great way to get active as a family, by learning dances or following pre-recorded workouts. One child attended hockey training camp on Zoom five days a week, an hour per day for six weeks.</p>
<p>One parent described that before the pandemic, their family often travelled internationally or cross-provincially, but had never explored Ontario. With closures, they embarked on weekly local hikes: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“We had no idea what was close by and we’ve hiked everything now close by … When you think you’ve done it all, there’s more to do with it. So that was a radical change.”</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Returning to play and sport</h2>
<p>Many children had already returned to play and sport in the summer months, <a href="https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-s-covid-19-rates-lower-than-expected-due-to-public-health-measures-experts-1.5601064">when case counts were lower in Ontario</a>. </p>
<p>We asked children how it felt to return, and findings were positive. Children told us that they did not mind <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12344-w">wearing their masks while at their play or sport activities, and that they were not bothered by other public health measures</a>, such as sanitization protocols. </p>
<p>The children we spoke with were impressionable and quick to adapt when it comes to learning new rules.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A woman in a leoplard print jacket seen by herself near a covid sign watching a soccer game." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/456133/original/file-20220404-16429-gq1fee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/456133/original/file-20220404-16429-gq1fee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/456133/original/file-20220404-16429-gq1fee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/456133/original/file-20220404-16429-gq1fee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/456133/original/file-20220404-16429-gq1fee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/456133/original/file-20220404-16429-gq1fee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/456133/original/file-20220404-16429-gq1fee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Both children and parents have had to learn new rules on and off sports fields during COVID-19.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Pandemic shifts in activity</h2>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7744-7">Children’s activity levels have been noted to be generally low</a>, and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-020-00987-8">especially during the pandemic</a>. For service providers and policy-makers, understanding the challenges children and parents face, and supports that parents need to encourage physical activity, is critical to our post-COVID-19 recovery. </p>
<p>The forced slow down that the pandemic offered may have long-lasting effects. Many citizens are reporting that, due to COVID-19, they have <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1971216451959">found a joy for at-home workouts</a>, and discovered new outdoor habits <a href="https://outdoorindustry.org/article/increase-outdoor-activities-due-covid-19/">like walking, cycling and hiking</a> or new ways to interact with their neighbours.</p>
<p>If future public health measures prevent organized sport and activities, our hope is that communities will continue to do try to embrace the outdoors, take advantage of free virtual opportunities — and mutually support one another to get active.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/177518/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Monika Szpunar receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Digital Research Alliance of Canada for her PhD projects.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Trish Tucker receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and the Digital Research Alliance of Canada. She is affiliated with the Children's Health Research Institute and Lawson Health Research Institute. </span></em></p>Parents in a study discussed barriers and opportunities in encouraging children’s physical movement during COVID-19 — from arguing about warm clothing for outdoor play to finding local hiking trails.Monika Szpunar, PhD Student, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Western UniversityTrish Tucker, Associate Professor and Director of the Child Health and Physical Activity Lab, Western UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1783792022-03-09T17:08:29Z2022-03-09T17:08:29ZIs March Break really a break? How pandemic-weary parents can recharge and connect with children without a vacation<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/450521/original/file-20220307-84100-s1zggd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=70%2C186%2C5837%2C3737&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Reinforcing the message that children are worthy and loved does not depend on planning blockbuster events. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Pexels/Keira Burton)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 175px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/is-march-break-really-a-break-how-pandemic-weary-parents-can-recharge-and-connect-with-children-without-a-vacation" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>As students and families in <a href="https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/nine-unique-places-to-stay-during-march-break-within-three-hours-of-ottawa-1.5797798">some parts of Canada</a> approach <a href="https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/spring-break-2022-bc-metro-vancouver-events">their spring breaks</a>, busy parents and caregivers everywhere may be reminded of the <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/03/11/975663437/march-11-2020-the-day-everything-changed">COVID-19 pandemic’s two-year anniversary of March 13, 2020</a>. </p>
<p>On this day, the Canadian government issued <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-covid-19-1.5496367">warnings against all international travel</a>. That was soon followed by <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/71-607-x/71-607-x2021009-eng.htm">school closures across Canada</a> and globally.</p>
<p>While some families who can afford vacations or for parents to take time off work <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/2022/02/10/in-desperate-need-of-a-vacation-travel-agencies-see-uptick-in-march-break-getaways-as-pandemic-fears-ease.html">may be pushing for a getaway</a>, this year many parents are likely looking for ways to rest and rejuvenate from the <a href="https://www.apa.org/monitor/2021/10/cover-parental-burnout">parental burnout</a> that two years of pandemic parenting might have brought.</p>
<p>Since the pandemic erupted, <a href="https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/global-hr/pages/coronavirus-canada-parents-accommodations.aspx">working parents</a> have been balancing their work and their children’s intermittent bouts of virtual learning, along with the many other parenting challenges. </p>
<p>This balancing act has been one that many mothers in particular have had to grapple with, all while also shouldering the lion’s share of <a href="https://jourms.org/motherhood-and-mothering-during-covid-19-gendered-intersectional-analysis-of-caregiving-during-the-global-pandemic-within-a-canadian-context/">domestic responsibilities</a>.</p>
<p>Busy and exhausted parents can recharge and connect with their children by prioritizing rest and sleep, as well as cultivating daily moments and experiences for sharing belonging and love.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="The front of a school is seen and children are walking out." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/450526/original/file-20220307-83257-11ie25i.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/450526/original/file-20220307-83257-11ie25i.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=414&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450526/original/file-20220307-83257-11ie25i.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=414&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450526/original/file-20220307-83257-11ie25i.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=414&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450526/original/file-20220307-83257-11ie25i.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=520&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450526/original/file-20220307-83257-11ie25i.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=520&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450526/original/file-20220307-83257-11ie25i.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=520&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Time off from school for children doesn’t translate into a family break without planning and preparation from parents.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Pandemic slowdown and burnout</h2>
<p>At the beginning of the pandemic, those whose work wasn’t accelerated by pandemic needs <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-stay-at-home-slowdown-how-the-pandemic-upended-our-perception-of-time-139258">slowed down, some took moments to pause and reflect</a> and some even took up <a href="https://www.corporatelearningnetwork.com/employee-experience-learning-design/articles/learning-new-skills-during-the-pandemic">new skills</a>. </p>
<p>In contrast, demands on time and energy of essential workers, coupled with threats to their safety and health, led to high rates <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/radio/checkup/are-you-suffering-from-pandemic-burnout-at-work-1.6315697/workers-are-feeling-burnt-out-experts-say-employers-need-to-listen-and-act-1.6316968">of burnout</a> and <a href="https://toronto.citynews.ca/2022/01/06/ontario-nurses-burnout-covid19-pandemic/">staff shortages</a>.</p>
<p>The start of online schooling and lockdowns and the <a href="https://journals.library.mun.ca/ojs/index.php/IJ/article/view/2244">blurring of home, school and work life balance</a> brought <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2020-34995-001">considerable stress for many families</a>. Indeed, these stressors are disproportionately higher for racialized communities who face ongoing and <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2021.642662">intersecting inequities</a> amid the pandemic and other urgent global crises.</p>
<p>Considering ways to slow down, restore and take seriously our breaks is an important part of recovering from <a href="https://theconversation.com/childrens-grief-in-coronavirus-quarantine-may-look-like-anger-heres-how-parents-can-respond-135348">some of the grief</a> and damage of these times.</p>
<h2>Benefits of breaks</h2>
<p>For adults, the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21211793/">benefits of taking brief mental breaks</a> include reduced mental fatigue, boosted brain function and longer on-task behaviour. </p>
<p>For children, <a href="https://www.brainfacts.org/thinking-sensing-and-behaving/learning-and-memory/2020/kids-need-brain-breaks-010920">the benefits</a> of taking a break at home or <a href="https://www.edutopia.org/article/research-tested-benefits-breaks">in the classroom</a> also contribute to increases in cognitive functioning and on-task behaviour.</p>
<p>The benefits of taking a break also fulfil some of our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054346">basic needs that underlie human motivation</a>. </p>
<h2>Hierarchy of needs</h2>
<p>According to <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/biography-of-abraham-maslow-1908-1970-2795524#:%7E:text=Abraham%20Maslow%20was%20an%20American,%2C%20and%20self%2Dactualizing%20needs.">American psychologist Abraham Maslow,</a> our “higher-level” needs such as the need for love, belonging and esteem, and mental stimulation cannot be met until our lower-level physiological needs — such as for sleep, food and shelter — are met. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110171">When people’s basic needs aren’t met</a> their ability to actively participate in learning is significantly reduced. Psychologist Jacob Ham, director of the Center for Child Trauma and Resilience in New York, explains that faced with basic needs deprivation and trauma, people’s brains go into “survival brain” mode instead of “learning brain” mode.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KoqaUANGvpA?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Psychologist Jacob Ham explains how being deprived of basic needs affects people’s brains.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>One fundamental basic need is sleep. A lack of sleep for children has been found to cause long-lasting adverse effects, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13303">poorer mental health and well-being and worse quality of life</a>. </p>
<p>This is especially important now as the pandemic has had a negative impact on many children’s sleep. A recent review of existing research on children and sleep in the pandemic that included studies from Canada and China found that “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2021.06.002">sleep duration recommendations were not met in nearly half of healthy children</a>.”</p>
<p>Researchers found sleep of school-aged children and adolescents was directly or indirectly affected by dramatic changes in children’s lives. However, they also cautioned about drawing firm inferences from studies based on predominantly online surveys of parents. </p>
<p>Parents can aim to protect sleep windows for their children and themselves — and renew commitments to <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-build-childrens-resilience-and-your-own-amid-coronavirus-unknowns-135789">bolstering their own mental health to be in an optimal place</a> to be present in relationships and support their children.</p>
<h2>Taking a break while tending to basic needs</h2>
<p>We’ve compiled more ways that busy parents can recharge themselves along with their children that can help fulfil some families’ physiological, safety, belonging and love needs.</p>
<p><strong>1. Spend time in nature</strong></p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="crocuses seen coming through snow." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/450553/original/file-20220308-85122-auezvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/450553/original/file-20220308-85122-auezvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=550&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450553/original/file-20220308-85122-auezvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=550&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450553/original/file-20220308-85122-auezvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=550&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450553/original/file-20220308-85122-auezvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=691&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450553/original/file-20220308-85122-auezvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=691&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450553/original/file-20220308-85122-auezvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=691&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The first flowers of spring are often a surprise.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Spending time outdoors that brings a sense of contact with nature has been associated with many physical and mental health benefits. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00722">Research shows</a> that spending 10 minutes three times a week or more outdoors can help lower stress. This break, try to explore local <a href="https://www.todaysparent.com/family/activities/the-best-parks-canada-attractions-for-families/">child-friendly Parks Canada attractions</a> or municipal parks or conservation areas in your area you may not have visited before.</p>
<p><strong>2. Family activity night</strong></p>
<p>Engaging in a family activity, such as a <a href="https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/bringing-back-family-game-night">family game night</a>, can help parents and children work together to generate ideas, solve problems and enjoy the many benefits of spending positive time together as a family. Or consider creating an <a href="https://gatheredagain.com/indoor-camping-ideas/">indoor camping night</a> (this does not have to involve real camping equipment) or indoor beach visit involving things like rolling out towels, reading age-appropriate books alone or together or playing summery music. </p>
<p>A family activity night can meet many of your children’s needs, including safety and security, love and belonging.</p>
<p><strong>3. Get active</strong></p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389#:%7E:text=Exercise%20boosts%20energy&text=Exercise%20delivers%20oxygen%20and%20nutrients,energy%20to%20tackle%20daily%20chores.">health benefits of regular physical activity</a> for adults and children are well-documented. March Break is a fantastic opportunity to seize the benefits of the mood and energy boosts that come with physical exertion.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="People seen lying on a blanket, one person blowing bubbles." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/450510/original/file-20220307-84100-1rmfsci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/450510/original/file-20220307-84100-1rmfsci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450510/original/file-20220307-84100-1rmfsci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450510/original/file-20220307-84100-1rmfsci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450510/original/file-20220307-84100-1rmfsci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450510/original/file-20220307-84100-1rmfsci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450510/original/file-20220307-84100-1rmfsci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Connecting with family members can happen in small moments.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Pexels/Anastasia Shuraeva)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>4. Connect daily</strong></p>
<p>Connection is a critical component of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7781063/">secure and healthy attachment in children</a>. When we connect with our children, they feel a sense of belonging and that they matter. Connecting with our children also fulfils our belonging and love needs as parents. </p>
<p>This March Break, <a href="https://www.handinhandparenting.org/2017/09/10-ways-to-connect-with-your-child-everyday/">simple yet powerful ways to connect</a> with our children — from cultivating humour to taking the time to look your child in the eye or being present when you do chores together — may reinforce the message that they are worthy and loved. Ways to connect <a href="https://www.parentmap.com/article/how-to-connect-with-your-independent-school-aged-kid">with school-aged</a> <a href="https://raisinghealthyteens.org/rht_blog/teenage-connection-the-11-best-ways-to-connect-with-your-teen/">and teenage</a> children will vary, but connection remains the fundamental goal. </p>
<p><strong>5. Reduce screen time</strong></p>
<p>Screen time has <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/45-28-0001/2021001/article/00027-eng.htm">increased dramatically during the pandemic</a>, especially among younger Canadians. </p>
<p>While <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-5-tips-for-navigating-childrens-screen-time-during-social-distancing-134445">screen use to stay connected with friends or family has been important</a> in the pandemic and has been part of family survival strategies, some <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanchi/article/PIIS2352-4642(19)30062-8/fulltext">of the negative consequences of screen time include time taken away from healthier habits</a>. </p>
<p>This March Break, making a conscious effort to ensure everyone gets a little more rest and allows their <a href="https://childmind.org/article/the-benefits-of-boredom/#:%7E:text=Additionally%2C%20boredom%20fosters%20creativity%2C%20self,%2C%E2%80%9D%20Dr.%20Lee%20advises.">minds to wander</a> and bodies to enjoy the outdoors or physical games together even if just for a short time. This can help give your brain the break it needs, and also create more space to be present with each other.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/178379/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Making daily time to connect with their children is an important way of nurturing family experiences and relationships and to find restoration.Kimberly Hillier, Lecturer, Faculty of Education, University of WindsorLindsey Jaber, Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of WindsorLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1749532022-03-09T13:17:43Z2022-03-09T13:17:43ZBarbie doll that honors Ida B. Wells faces an uphill battle against anti-Blackness<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/450759/original/file-20220308-13-1psvxyb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=5%2C0%2C1242%2C1255&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Can Black dolls help Black children better understand their racial identity?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://shop.mattel.com/products/ida-b-wells-barbie-inspiring-women-doll-hcb81">Matel</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>When Mattel <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/01/22/a-new-barbie-doll-commemorates-a-19th-century-suffragist">announced in January 2022</a> that it was releasing a new Barbie doll to honor Ida B. Wells – the famed 19th-century Black journalist and anti-lynching crusader – the company said the idea was to “<a href="https://twitter.com/Barbie/status/1480932590014156810">inspire us to dream big</a>.” However, while the doll may prove helpful to young Black children, its impact is likely to be limited.</p>
<p>Although <a href="https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/reports/the-representation-of-social-groups-in-u-s-educational-materials-and-why-it-matter/">diverse groups are sometimes represented accurately within print</a> and <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/12/26/1062369487/kids-books-tv-video-games-diverse-characters">digital media</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/17468477211049352">racist portrayals of Black people</a> still persist. </p>
<p>Young Black children can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470147658.chpsy0115">internalize racial messages</a> from a variety of sources, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15595691003635955">anti-Black messages from the media, interactions with peers</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00405841.2016.1116852">school practices</a>, such as being <a href="https://theconversation.com/black-parents-say-their-children-are-being-suspended-for-petty-reasons-that-force-them-to-take-off-from-work-and-sometimes-lose-their-jobs-166610">disproportionately disciplined or suspended from school</a>. This internalization can negatively impact <a href="https://doi.org/10.36019/9780813554310">young children’s feelings about their race</a> and others. </p>
<p>Black dolls, like the one of Wells, can <a href="https://doi.org/10.3167/ghs.2019.120205">shape the way</a> young Black children understand their identity and affect how they <a href="https://doi.apa.org/doi/10.1037/ppm0000359">see themselves in society</a>, but only to a limited degree.</p>
<h2>From enslavement to journalist</h2>
<p>Wells was a noteworthy activist from <a href="https://www.nps.gov/people/idabwells.htm">Holly Springs, Mississippi, who was born into slavery in 1862</a> and was later emancipated as a child. She attended a segregated Black school and became a teacher in Memphis, Tennessee, until she was <a href="https://www.nps.gov/people/idabwells.htm">fired in 1891 for speaking out</a> against subpar learning conditions. A staunch activist, Wells similarly filed and initially won a <a href="https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/ida-b-wells-barnett">lawsuit against the Chesapeake, Ohio & Southwestern Railroad Co.</a> in 1884 after being forced out of a first-class train car despite having purchased a first-class ticket. The ruling was eventually <a href="https://www.nps.gov/people/idabwells.htm">overturned by the Tennessee Supreme Court</a> and spurred the beginning of Wells’ career as a journalist.</p>
<p>Wells wrote about being discriminated against on the train in the Memphis weekly newspaper The Living Way. <a href="https://www.nypl.org/blog/2018/07/16/way-right-wrongs-celebrating-legacy-ida-b-wells">She became a columnist</a> – writing under the name “Iola” – in 1889. From there, she began to write about lynching, as the part owner and editor of The Memphis Free Speech, a <a href="https://www.pbs.org/blackpress/news_bios/wells.html">progressive Black newspaper of the time</a>. She eventually organized a major anti-lynching campaign. Her work is a part of how people today know about the terrors of lynching at the turn of the 20th century. </p>
<h2>Mixed messages</h2>
<p>Having a doll that <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/01/12/ida-wells-barbie-doll-mattel/">honors Wells’ legacy</a> can help today’s children “<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CYmIFXvLszH/">know they have the power</a>” to bring about a better future, an Instagram account for Barbie said in a post. However, the mere existence of a Black doll does not combat anti-Black racism. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742058X14000034">Representation alone does not equal racial justice</a> or stop messages of anti-Blackness from existing.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, when there are competing narratives about race, <a href="https://doi.org/10.36019/9780813554310">children must then make sense of the mixed messages</a>, disregarding some and accepting and internalizing others as they form their own understandings. Therefore, children can benefit from receiving messages that contradict the anti-Blackness that they encounter as they form their opinions about race. </p>
<p>Children learn about race in many places and ways. The media is just one context, and toys represent an overlooked form of media. When it comes to dolls specifically, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0095798410397544">a wealth of research shows</a> that simply presenting a child with a doll does not mean that they will be interested in it. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Two Black girls wearing dresses each hold a doll in their hands while sitting on a couch." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/450727/original/file-20220308-27-1ht2l3i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=103%2C0%2C8543%2C5769&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/450727/original/file-20220308-27-1ht2l3i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450727/original/file-20220308-27-1ht2l3i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450727/original/file-20220308-27-1ht2l3i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450727/original/file-20220308-27-1ht2l3i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450727/original/file-20220308-27-1ht2l3i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450727/original/file-20220308-27-1ht2l3i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Dolls are limited in what they can do to boost Black children’s self-esteem.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/mixed-race-sisters-playing-with-dolls-royalty-free-image/969315100?adppopup=true">kali9/E+ via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What children choose</h2>
<p>In my research study, I carefully selected two Black dolls, one white Latina doll and a white non-Hispanic doll from the Hearts for Hearts doll line. These dolls piqued the interest of the 4-year-old participants in my study. Out of the 13 children, eight were Black, two were white, one was Latina, and two were Asian.</p>
<p>In seeing the set of dolls as a group, the children could not wait to play with them; but when it came time to play with the dolls, most of the children preferred to play with the non-Black dolls. The children <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-021-00289-5">assigned a greater sense of value to the white and Latina dolls</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-020-01095-9">ignored or mistreated the Black dolls</a>.</p>
<p>It turned out the internalized messages of anti-Blackness to which these young children had been exposed led them to play with the dolls that did not look like them. This internalization was apparent in their conversations and my examination of their school curriculum, which included only white or animal protagonists in its collection of children’s books.</p>
<p>For example, conversations between the children during playtime with the dolls revealed that they did not want to play with the Black dolls because of their <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-020-01095-9">“big hair” or “curly hair.”</a> When I asked a Black girl if she wanted to play with the only available doll, a Black doll, she shook her head “no.” An Indian American child intervened and stated that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-020-01095-9">she wanted a “long hair” doll</a>. Several children also pretended to lighten the skin color of the Black dolls with makeup.</p>
<p>Through my firsthand experience working with educators who used the curriculum taught to my 4-year-old participants, I am familiar with the absence of Black voices and perspectives within the provided children’s books, which were displayed in the classroom. Given the potential power of children’s books to <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/ycyoungchildren.71.2.8">positively impact their feelings about race</a>, the absence of diverse characters and their perspectives is a critical issue.</p>
<p>While representation is important, combating the anti-Blackness that actively <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00405841.2016.1116852">harms Black children</a> is the necessary work. </p>
<p>[<em>Over 150,000 readers rely on The Conversation’s newsletters to understand the world.</em> <a href="https://memberservices.theconversation.com/newsletters/?source=inline-150ksignup">Sign up today</a>.]</p>
<p>Although the new Ida B. Wells-inspired Barbie doll does come with information about the late journalist, activist and suffragist on its packaging, research suggests that consistently sharing books with children that include characters with relatable lived cultural experiences <a href="https://doi.org/10.1023/B:ECEJ.0000012137.43147.af">enables them to link themselves to the presented information</a>. Additionally, seeing themselves positively represented through Black characters and other characters of color <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/ycyoungchildren.71.2.8">fosters a sense of pride and respect for racial difference</a>. </p>
<p>In my view, Wells was a forceful leader and activist who deserves our respect and attention. Mattel’s inclusion of the late journalist in its Inspiring Women Series of Barbie dolls, which spotlights “heroes who <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CYmIFXvLszH/">paved the way for generations of girls</a> to dream big and make a difference,” is admirable. However, my research demonstrates that it might not resolve the anti-Black messages to which my <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-020-01095-9">4-year-old participants</a> and possibly other children have been exposed. </p>
<p>Toy manufacturers can produce a range of diverse dolls, but if children are not interested in them, their impact is greatly limited.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/174953/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Toni Sturdivant does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Black children are prone to internalize messages of anti-Blackness. Can a Black doll that honors one of America’s most noteworthy Black women do anything to reverse the trend?Toni Sturdivant, Assistant Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, Texas A&M University-CommerceLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1700052021-11-02T20:32:04Z2021-11-02T20:32:04Z‘Playground politics’ are anything but: For health’s sake, Ontario students need better schoolyards<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429750/original/file-20211102-5521-1i37ydl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C44%2C2995%2C1302&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Unstructured outdoor play is an important part of a healthy childhood, but Ontario schoolyards are falling short.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Dave Chidley </span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Public health research shows a strong connection between <a href="https://www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/">outdoor play</a>, schoolyard quality and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/osp4.389">students’ health</a> — including <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/14733280903024423">physical activity</a>. But how are Ontario’s schoolyards doing?</p>
<p>We worked in partnership with <a href="https://www.ophea.net/">Ophea, a charity that</a> supports physical and health education and advocates for healthy schools, to find out. <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2019/04/18/do-ontario-schoolyards-make-the-grade.html">We recruited</a> students, parents and educators to take a close look at their own schoolyards as “citizen scientists” — <a href="https://doi.org/10.1525/bio.2009.59.11.9">members of the public who collect data</a> as part of a public-interest research project. </p>
<p>To analyze schoolyards, we adapted a tool previously developed for this purpose. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2010.04.002">This tool</a> was based on evidence showing a relationship between schoolyard quality and physical activity. We used it to assess approximately five per cent of Ontario’s 5,000 schools. We audited 232 schools that were broadly representative of the distribution of average family incomes, public, Catholic and French school systems, and elementary and secondary schools.</p>
<p>Our results, relayed in our report, <em><a href="https://www.ophea.net/sites/default/files/pdfs/advocacy/adv_schoolyardscountreport_en.pdf">Schoolyards Count: How Ontario’s schoolyards measure up for health, physical activity and environmental learning</a></em>, show that Ontario schoolyards fall far short of “good enough.”</p>
<h2>Connection between outdoor play and health</h2>
<p>Other research points to the connection between students’ access to “everyday nature” in terms of both <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7721/chilyoutenvi.24.2.0010">environmental attitudes and knowledge</a>, and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2017.11.001">their well-being</a>. </p>
<p>The physical environment is not a silver bullet: Teaching, relationships and facilitation all make a difference. But physical environments are a key component of <a href="https://www.euro.who.int/en/data-and-evidence/evidence-informed-policy-making/publications/pre2009/what-is-the-evidence-on-school-health-promotion-in-improving-health-or-preventing-disease-and,-specifically,-what-is-the-effectiveness-of-the-health-promoting-schools-approach">health-promoting schools</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.33524/cjar.v14i2.82">good-quality recess</a> and physical education experiences.</p>
<h2>Many schools missing key elements</h2>
<p>We know that unstructured outdoor play <a href="https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2018-2058">enhances cognitive function</a>, <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-003-x/2016009/article/14652-eng.htm">promotes psychosocial development</a> and is an <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120606475">important component</a> of a healthy childhood. Our auditors assessed a quarter of schoolyards as “unsuitable” for play or games, and one in five as “unsuitable” for sports — a worrying finding. </p>
<p>Our research found that 73 per cent of audited schoolyards have an overall schoolyard quality score that is less than half of the optimal score of 88. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428891/original/file-20211027-25-b8e37l.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Histogram showing the distirbution of Schoolyard Quality Scores across our sample with bar graphs" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428891/original/file-20211027-25-b8e37l.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428891/original/file-20211027-25-b8e37l.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=355&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428891/original/file-20211027-25-b8e37l.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=355&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428891/original/file-20211027-25-b8e37l.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=355&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428891/original/file-20211027-25-b8e37l.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=446&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428891/original/file-20211027-25-b8e37l.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=446&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428891/original/file-20211027-25-b8e37l.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=446&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">There was an enormous variation in schoolyard scores. ‘Frequency’ shows the number of audits and the scores they captured. 73 per cent of schoolyards had an overall score that is less than half of the optimal score. Blue dashed line shows the mean at a score of 35.3, and the yellow line shows the mid-point of the scale at a score of 40.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Christine Corso)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Based on our audits, we found: </p>
<ul>
<li> 10 per cent of the schools have no fields;</li>
<li> 16 per cent have no courts for games like basketball;</li>
<li> 13 per cent of elementary schools have no play equipment (not even a simple monkey bars or tetherball post) and a quarter of schools don’t have multi-component structures (like a combined slide, bridge and climber); </li>
<li> 47 per cent of secondary schools have no track.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Outdoor spaces: An asset during the pandemic</h2>
<p>The pandemic has exacerbated <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-021-01744-3">psychological distress</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-020-00987-8">physical inactivity</a> in Canadian children and youth, <a href="https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-020-00412-4">particularly in Ontario</a>. Many recommend outdoor learning and outdoor play as a key feature in COVID-19 <a href="https://www.sickkids.ca/en/news/archive/2021/let-children-play">safety and recovery responses</a>. Being in nature (not just wilderness, but also green spaces) leads to <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7721/chilyoutenvi.24.2.0010">improvements in mental health</a> among children.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/6-actions-school-systems-can-take-to-support-childrens-outdoor-learning-167745">6 actions school systems can take to support children's outdoor learning</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>For all too many Ontario schoolchildren, their main access to the outdoors at school is a paved, treeless expanse. In a third of schools, 50 per cent or more of the schoolyard surface is paved. Thirteen per cent of schools reported that they had no areas shaded by trees (only 20 per cent reported “lots” of shady areas). Paved treeless spaces are also a <a href="https://naturecanada.ca/news/blog/trees-help-fight-climate-change/">missed opportunity to mitigate climate change</a>.</p>
<p>In 2019, when we collected our data, only 37 per cent of schools had any sort of outdoor classroom. Other outdoor learning spaces were also limited — only 39 per cent of schools have themed gardens (like a garden for growing vegetables), and 56 per cent of schools have low-maintenance wildlife/biodiversity promoting areas (like a pollinator garden or a no-mow zone). </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Illustration of a vibrant schoolyard, showing diverse students playing on a field, a play structure, and with a garden area." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428889/original/file-20211027-25172-1xewxs5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428889/original/file-20211027-25172-1xewxs5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=388&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428889/original/file-20211027-25172-1xewxs5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=388&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428889/original/file-20211027-25172-1xewxs5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=388&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428889/original/file-20211027-25172-1xewxs5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=488&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428889/original/file-20211027-25172-1xewxs5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=488&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428889/original/file-20211027-25172-1xewxs5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=488&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Being in green spaces matters to children’s health.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Flavia Lopez/Studio Blackwell)</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Active transportation</h2>
<p>One of the most important ways the built environment of a schoolyard and school community can contribute to student physical activity is by making it easy for students to walk or bike to school. </p>
<p>Instead, students face fast roads (37 per cent of schools have at least one adjacent road with a speed limit above 40 kilometres per hour), and limited traffic calming. Sixty-seven per cent of schools didn’t have anything like speed bumps or islands to slow down cars, and more than a third of schools didn’t have marked crossings.</p>
<p>Cycling provision is even poorer. Only 21 per cent of schools can be reached on a marked bike lane, and a third of schools don’t even have bike racks.</p>
<h2>Unequal opportunities for well-being</h2>
<p>Just as worrying as poor overall quality is that students experience vastly different opportunities for well-being, depending on which school they attend. Overall schoolyard quality scores range from a mere 14 to a high of 61. This is despite a provincial funding formula which, at least in theory, provides comparable resources across the province.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-fun-fair-and-all-school-fundraising-may-carry-hidden-costs-to-society-118883">The fun fair, and all school fundraising, may carry hidden costs to society</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><a href="http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/parents/fund2012guideline.pdf">Largely unregulated</a> and <a href="https://peopleforeducation.ca/report/fundraising-and-fees-in-ontarios-schools/">increasingly unequal fundraising</a> may contribute to differences in quality between richer and poorer schools, especially in the absence of clearly articulated standards for quality.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428888/original/file-20211027-17-1lxu6h8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Scatterplot with schools' median income (in thousands) plotted on the x-axis against schools' Schoolyard Quality Scores; line is fitted to data with positive slope" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428888/original/file-20211027-17-1lxu6h8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428888/original/file-20211027-17-1lxu6h8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428888/original/file-20211027-17-1lxu6h8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428888/original/file-20211027-17-1lxu6h8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428888/original/file-20211027-17-1lxu6h8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=453&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428888/original/file-20211027-17-1lxu6h8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=453&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428888/original/file-20211027-17-1lxu6h8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=453&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Blue dashed line shows family median income in each school (in thousands) and schoolyard quality score.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Christine Corso</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>There is a small but statistically significant association between family income and schoolyard quality. On average, a school with an average median family income of $40,000 is predicted to score 9.9 points (one standard deviation) lower than a school with an average median family income of $175,000.</p>
<h2>Minimum standards needed</h2>
<p>Engaging members of the public to work on projects related to our children’s health offers the opportunity to make systematic data personal. The picture we produced shows unequal and under-utilized opportunities to promote play and well-being at school.</p>
<p>We hope school communities can use this systematic picture to advocate locally for what they need in their schoolyards — from bike access and slower roads, to tree planting, more environmental learning opportunities or greater accessibility. </p>
<p>As citizens, all of us need to insist that policy ensures there are no schoolyards in our province that lack basic provisions for play such as play structures, basketball courts and supervised access to fields at recess.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/170005/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kelly Gallagher-Mackay received funding for this research from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. The work was conducted in partnership with Ophea, Ontario's Healthy School Organization.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christine Corso receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. </span></em></p>Problems include no fields, no courts for games, no playgrounds, no bike racks and no traffic-calming surrounding the school. Bringing in minimum standards is important.Kelly Gallagher-Mackay, Assistant Professor of Law and Society, Wilfrid Laurier UniversityChristine Corso, PhD Candidate in Educational Leadership and Policy, University of TorontoLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1661492021-09-13T16:08:55Z2021-09-13T16:08:55ZHow addressing our young kids’ COVID-19 learning loss is a matter of child’s play<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420280/original/file-20210909-25-15i5gtf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=22%2C8%2C976%2C640&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">'Purposeful play' could look like children gaining opportunities to develop fine motor skills and cognitive abilities through talking about their inquiry and pursuits.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>COVID-19 disruptions have had a distinct, devastating and potentially enduring impact on our youngest school-aged learners, <a href="https://theconversation.com/fewer-kids-are-enrolled-in-public-kindergarten-that-will-have-a-lasting-impact-on-schools-and-equity-151817">especially those who were already behind in early language, literacy and numeracy understandings</a>. The pandemic has also taken a toll on <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-021-01207-z">children’s social and emotional health</a>.</p>
<p>Data from Alberta suggest many children have lost <a href="https://troymedia.com/education/online-learners-falling-behind-in-their-reading-skills/#.YReuFYhKjIW">a year or more in expected progress</a>. There is no question of the urgent need for educational attention that will mitigate COVID-19 learning loss.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-school-closures-could-widen-inequities-for-our-youngest-students-136669">Coronavirus school closures could widen inequities for our youngest students</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Suggestions put forth to help children have included <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nickmorrison/2021/07/22/uk-parents-say-no-to-longer-school-day-for-covid-catch-up/?sh=de6556554f0d">lengthening the school day</a>, focusing on <a href="https://troymedia.com/education/online-learners-falling-behind-in-their-reading-skills/#.YRWzhIhKiUk">phonics instruction for early reading</a>, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2020/08/10/how-tutoring-could-key-lifting-kids-out-covid-slide/3319070001/">intensive tutoring</a> and <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/education-repeat-year-1.6039920">having children repeat grades</a> to ensure better beginnings and readiness for literacy and numeracy development. </p>
<p>But imposing narrow academic expectations may not align <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858415616358">with children’s readiness to learn, and may produce only short-term learning outcomes</a>. </p>
<p>Guided play — <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/mbe.12015">play that is guided</a> by teachers at school — can be an important part of children’s learning, especially for children who are entering kindergarten up to about Grade 3. Parents or caregivers could consider ways to adapt such guided play in the home. </p>
<h2>Guided, purposeful play</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.edcan.ca/articles/guided-physical-play-kindergarten">Guided or purposeful play</a> is play that reflects a sense of learning intent. </p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="An assortment of buttons." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420523/original/file-20210910-14-mco7op.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420523/original/file-20210910-14-mco7op.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=521&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420523/original/file-20210910-14-mco7op.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=521&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420523/original/file-20210910-14-mco7op.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=521&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420523/original/file-20210910-14-mco7op.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=655&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420523/original/file-20210910-14-mco7op.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=655&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420523/original/file-20210910-14-mco7op.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=655&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Buttons become tools for learning through sorting or categorizing by shape, color and size.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Unsplash)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Guided play in the classroom could look like teachers being on hand to explicitly direct children’s gaze to a key idea and explain patterns or sequences when they are manipulating shapes or objects like blocks or a bucket of buttons. Buttons become tools for learning through sorting or categorizing by shape, color and size. Buttons are wonderful for making sequences and patterns — and learning how to quickly recognize: “How many?” Shape and pattern represent the underpinnings for letter recognition, spelling and numeracy understandings. </p>
<p>It could mean encouraging a child to hold their pencil or paint brush <a href="https://connectability.ca/2011/03/21/practical-strategies-for-developing-fine-motor-skills/">to develop a pincer grip</a>. Kids need to develop a good pincer grip and achieve fine motor control for printing, cutting, folding and pasting. </p>
<h2>Five areas of child development</h2>
<p>A growing body of research finds <a href="https://hechingerreport.org/twenty-six-studies-point-to-more-play-for-young-children">that both free imaginative play and guided, purposeful play are associated with stronger early language, literacy and numeracy outcomes</a>, and social and emotional health benefits. Children gain these benefits as they learn the give-and-take of play <strong>with others.</strong> </p>
<p>These five related key areas (or domains) of child development should be targeted through play: numeracy and spatial recognition; fine motor skills; language and word knowledge; cognitive skills and memory; social and emotional learning. Of these, perhaps the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0142723714535768">fine-motor-language nexus is the most critical</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Chart showing different areas of child development including numeracy and spatial recognition; fine motor skills; language and word knowledge; cognitive skills and memory; social and emotional learning." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/418466/original/file-20210830-26-1v3ozim.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/418466/original/file-20210830-26-1v3ozim.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=522&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/418466/original/file-20210830-26-1v3ozim.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=522&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/418466/original/file-20210830-26-1v3ozim.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=522&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/418466/original/file-20210830-26-1v3ozim.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=656&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/418466/original/file-20210830-26-1v3ozim.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=656&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/418466/original/file-20210830-26-1v3ozim.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=656&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The domains of early development can be targeted through forms of guided play.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Hetty Roessingh</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Learning through such play <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00506">develops embodied cognition</a> and the foundations for literacy and numeracy understandings. </p>
<h2>Practising with loose parts</h2>
<p>In classrooms, once underlying concepts and skills are taught, children can extend and practice these through centre or station play where child choice, imagination and creativity direct and drive activities like tinkering, taking apart structures and <a href="https://theeducationhub.org.nz/materials-for-play-why-open-ended-loose-parts-are-important/">playing with loose parts</a>. Blocks, puzzles and everyday objects like clothes pegs, tweezers, measuring devices, scissors, pencils and crayons are all <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tine.2014.02.005">part of the teacher’s play toolbox</a> in the early years’ classroom. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/learning-in-the-snow-how-children-develop-through-all-weather-outdoor-play-110736">Learning in the snow: How children develop through all-weather outdoor play</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>With some flexibility, these strategies can be adjusted for children in kindergarten up to Grade 2. They can be transferred and extended to imaginative activities like post office (recognizing names and numbers) or grocery store (reading labels and lists) or dress-up and socio-dramatic play. </p>
<p>There will always be a range of children’s readiness for learning. Especially in COVID-19 recovery, teachers will need to adapt and accommodate, and be smart at planning games and play activities through an assessment lens, and planning the instructional cycle accordingly. </p>
<h2>Importance of dialogic talk</h2>
<p>Talking with children is also critical when they are involved in guided play as a way of helping them to develop their language and world knowledge.</p>
<p>Adults can strategically introduce more words relevant to academic learning (“academic words”) when children are involved in guided play: For example, words like “construct” or “structure” versus “build” when playing with blocks. The words can be accompanied by a definition, a synonym and paraphrasing by saying: “In other words …”</p>
<p>Other times, adult talk needs to be more explicit and direct when children are involved in guided play. Some examples could be explaining a learning or memory strategy while playing a card game or dealing with numeracy concepts when playing a linear board game. What researchers <a href="https://kappanonline.org/early-math-play-games-ramani-eason/">call “math talk,” and understanding of the rules of the game matters in transitioning to more independent play and practice</a> with their peers.</p>
<p>Embedding questions that involve making an inference or a prediction, inviting the <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/talking-with-mdash-not-just-to-mdash-kids-powers-how-they-learn-language">back and forth of collaborative and elaborative “ping-pong” conversations</a> further support children’s language development, cognition, understanding of their world and their place in it. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0uwjBRbqlJ8?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">‘Guardian’ video of Sir David Attenborough speaking with Prince George and younger siblings.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Listen as British educational broadcaster and writer Sir David Attenborough explains the plight of endangered species to his young listeners. Attenborough pitches his talk to the “just right” level of each child, and introduces words that will be helpful in academic learning — like danger, protect, extinct (and extinction) and precious. </p>
<p>Gradually building enriched <a href="http://www.aft.org/periodical/american-educator/spring-2003/oral-comprehension-sets-ceiling-reading">oral vocabulary knowledge matters in transitioning to the level of academic literacy expected around Grade 4</a>. </p>
<h2>Flexible, playful plans</h2>
<p>A well-rounded, balanced approach to early childhood education through play involves both child-led and adult-led play and allows for both unstructured and structured activity. It targets all five domains of child development that teachers need to assess and monitor for progress, again through simple, playful tasks and games.</p>
<p>Teachers know they are facing a range of readiness for learning in their
classrooms. Let’s welcome our little ones back to school with a flexible, playful plan for learning and interacting with the school community they have been missing for too long. </p>
<p>As for how to spend tens of millions of tax payers’ dollars governments are keen to allocate to closing the COVID-19 learning gap? <a href="https://www.todaysparent.com/kids/school-age/does-class-size-matter">Reducing class size</a> or providing a well-trained teacher’s assistant may provide our best bang for the buck.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/166149/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hetty Roessingh receives funding from SSHRC and from the Alberta Teachers' Association. </span></em></p>Encouraging a child to hold their paint brush to develop a pincer grip while the child is involved in painting is one example of guided play.Hetty Roessingh, Professor, Werklund School of Education, University of CalgaryLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1654532021-08-23T18:10:26Z2021-08-23T18:10:26ZThis back-to-school during COVID-19, bolster children’s mental and emotional well-being through play<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/417002/original/file-20210819-27-7b7rqz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=132%2C286%2C7216%2C4252&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Play will be essential to give children space to work out anxieties, and will also provide many other social and cognitive benefits.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Parents, educators and children alike are watching the calendar as the new school year draws closer. </p>
<p>The last school year was spent under COVID-19 lockdowns, restrictions and school closures, resulting in children being subject <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/covid-19-update-nova-scotia-may-19-2021-1.6032261">to a dizzying array of changes</a>. Added to this were disruptions to daily family life, as many parents scrambled to be both teacher and entertainer to children.</p>
<p>We are part of a growing global team of cross-discipline researchers considering how play and children’s lives have been affected during the pandemic. In our pilot research with five neighbourhood families in Eastern Canada, we found that while parents expressed concern about children’s missed school time, the children aged six to 12 were seeking creative ways to reclaim their former pandemic play lives through virtual sleepovers and Zoom neighbourhood ukulele lessons.</p>
<p>As schools return to in-person learning, the joint efforts of school communities and families to make time for play at school and at home will be essential to give children space to work out anxieties carried over from the pandemic, <a href="https://www.hbe.com.au/ready-to-learn-using-play-to-build-literacy-skills-in-young-learners.html">in addition to providing many other social and cognitive benefits</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A child wearing a face mask looks up at a climbing wall." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/417005/original/file-20210819-25-1yrqecd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/417005/original/file-20210819-25-1yrqecd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417005/original/file-20210819-25-1yrqecd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417005/original/file-20210819-25-1yrqecd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417005/original/file-20210819-25-1yrqecd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417005/original/file-20210819-25-1yrqecd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417005/original/file-20210819-25-1yrqecd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Play will be essential to give children space to work out anxieties carried over from the pandemic.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Play and resilience</h2>
<p>Resilience is an important element in childhood development, a <a href="https://sk.sagepub.com/reference/the-sage-handbook-of-developmental-psychology-and-early-childhood-education/i683.xml">reserve of emotional strength a child can draw on for the rest of their lives</a>. </p>
<p>The value of play in developing children’s resilience is well-known. Play is the means by which children <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lcsi.2017.10.007">experiment and interact with the world</a>. It’s the way they process their classroom and home learning, a vital part of their mental and social development.</p>
<p>The pandemic has highlighted <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/post/canadian-kids-share-their-pandemic-experiences-and-creativity-your-story">children’s play as a wellspring for creativity,
exploration and socialization</a>. But it has also <a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/building-kids-resilience-through-play-is-more-crucial-than-ever">underlined how children experienced</a> the pandemic’s stress and trauma — <a href="https://www.apa.org/topics/covid-19/children-unstructured-play">and how play can help them cope</a>. </p>
<h2>Play affected by pandemic</h2>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="A sign attached to an outdoor play structure says 'COVID-19: Playground closed.'" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/417007/original/file-20210819-27-1x1y4kz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/417007/original/file-20210819-27-1x1y4kz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=729&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417007/original/file-20210819-27-1x1y4kz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=729&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417007/original/file-20210819-27-1x1y4kz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=729&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417007/original/file-20210819-27-1x1y4kz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=917&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417007/original/file-20210819-27-1x1y4kz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=917&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417007/original/file-20210819-27-1x1y4kz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=917&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Children have had to cope with seeing their familiar playspaces shut down.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Children and families have watched as the pandemic unravelled the world of school, <a href="https://thetyee.ca/News/2020/07/02/BC-Urged-Respond-Pandemic-Kid-Crisis">children’s activities and playgrounds</a>. </p>
<p>Important milestones, such as concerts and graduations were held virtually in socially distanced classrooms. Teachers and parents alike were dismayed at the loss of children’s “red-carpet” moments. </p>
<p>While some education officials might argue that post-pandemic <a href="https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse">academic recovery</a> should be first priority following gaps in face-to-face education, our concern is that <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/students-falling-behind-pandemic-1.6014355">academic recovery should not — and need not</a> — come at the expense of bolstering children’s mental and emotional well-being through play. </p>
<p>Play is also critical in laying the groundwork for <a href="https://www.stenhouse.com/content/invitations-play">academic learning both in terms of children’s socio-emotional regulation as well as for the development of motor skills and conceptual thinking</a>.</p>
<h2>Returning to school</h2>
<p>We heard from parents who participated in our research that online schooling gave them a new window into the challenges of teaching. </p>
<p>One parent said they worried that their child wouldn’t stay focused, but the teacher tried very hard, having the kids do scavenger hunts for objects from the book they were reading, or timed exercises to give their bodies a break. </p>
<p>Such attention to children’s rhythms and needs will need to continue as they return to in-person learning.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, continuing COVID-19 protocols and practices in children’s environments will restrict play. This will necessitate using creative strategies to address how children can play freely and socially during school <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.12832">and have venues to communicate and express their feelings</a>. </p>
<p>It will be important to continue to talk with children about the important roles they play in helping to keep themselves and others safe, such as through handwashing. Open communication and play, especially when these happen in dialogue with each other, will be vital as children return to school and play with friends.</p>
<h2>Communicate, give kids clear facts</h2>
<p>Tracy Rose, director of the Memorial University Childcare Centre, said: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I encouraged parents to keep communication open to children’s questions — but also to be aware of transferring adult-related stress onto children.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Many teachers understood at the height of the pandemic that balancing their own fears against children’s needs would be critical. One teacher relayed to us that she read the book <em><a href="https://teachersbooksreaders.com/2020/08/11/why-did-the-whole-world-stop-talking-with-kids-about-covid-19-by-heather-black">Why Did the Whole World Stop? Talking with Kids about COVID-19</a></em> just before children left for an extended lockdown: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“It was fact-based and honest, and told them a truth they could understand.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Children are adept at taking understandable facts, and transferring them into play spaces to wrestle with their meanings. This gives children some of the crucial tools they need to interpret stressful times and build resilience.</p>
<p>We have already seen how children are playing out their COVID-19 experiences in classrooms — for example, <a href="https://twitter.com/MKindergartens/status/1397339514192924675">kindergarteners pretending to give vaccines</a>. Even if parents and teachers don’t always include children in discussions about the pandemic, children are still listening and learning through play. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A child gives a doll a vaccine." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/417274/original/file-20210820-17-1gylo9n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/417274/original/file-20210820-17-1gylo9n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417274/original/file-20210820-17-1gylo9n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417274/original/file-20210820-17-1gylo9n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417274/original/file-20210820-17-1gylo9n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417274/original/file-20210820-17-1gylo9n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417274/original/file-20210820-17-1gylo9n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Children will play out their COVID-19 experiences and what they have heard about the pandemic.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Collaborating about importance of play</h2>
<p>Understanding and promoting children’s play during COVID-19 requires global <a href="https://play-observatory.com/about/about">collaboration and knowledge exchange among researchers, educators and policy-makers</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-spotlights-equity-and-access-issues-with-childrens-right-to-play-137187">Coronavirus spotlights equity and access issues with children's right to play</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>We believe our global research efforts can help advance our society’s understanding about the role of play in supporting resilience, renewal and recovery in diverse contexts and cultures. This knowledge can better mitigate many negative societal effects experienced by children and families during moments of crises like the pandemic. It can also further amplify the often-unheard voices of children. </p>
<h2>Recovering lost ground</h2>
<p>Despite the trials of the past year, children will thrive if <a href="https://teachereducationnetwork.blogspot.com/2021/05/childrens-play-in-pandemic-times.html">play offers them opportunities to foster resiliency and emotional health</a>.</p>
<p>Play develops children’s resiliency — their best defence mechanism during times of stress, confusion and crisis. As we move beyond COVID-19, opportunities to play will be paramount to recovering lost ground in a changed world.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/165453/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Anne Burke receives funding from Social Sciences Humanities Research Council
</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kristiina Kumpulainen receives funding from the Academy of Finland and European Union.</span></em></p>Communicating clearly with children and providing space for them to play will be vital during back-to-school and beyond as children manage stressors associated with COVID-19.Anne Burke, Professor, Faculty of Education, Memorial University of NewfoundlandKristiina Kumpulainen, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, Simon Fraser UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1601822021-05-04T06:49:09Z2021-05-04T06:49:09ZSure, video games want to get you hooked on spending. But there’s no evidence they can manipulate you<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/398574/original/file-20210504-19-1k0i8h3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C2%2C1605%2C1057&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">YouTube/Screenshot</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The ABC’s latest Four Corners <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-03/video-games-you-play-are-using-sneaky-tactics-four-corners/100098826">report</a> is an investigation into how videogames are “deliberately designed to get people hooked”.</p>
<p>It describes the use of gambling-like <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0306460318315077">“loot boxes” in games</a>, the hotly debated <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29529886/">notion of videogame addiction</a> and, to a lesser extent, the “predatory techniques” of using user data and AI to increase spending in freemium games (free to play games which are monetised through in-app transactions and advertising).</p>
<p>The process of monetising and collecting data through videogames does require scrutiny, as it can be problematic for some users. But in working out what the harms are, we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact videogames are enjoyable and valuable for the vast majority.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/398506/original/file-20210503-17-1ddo3hp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/398506/original/file-20210503-17-1ddo3hp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398506/original/file-20210503-17-1ddo3hp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398506/original/file-20210503-17-1ddo3hp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398506/original/file-20210503-17-1ddo3hp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398506/original/file-20210503-17-1ddo3hp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398506/original/file-20210503-17-1ddo3hp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Four Corner’s program asks, ‘are you being played?’</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">via ABC 4 Corners program</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>How do game companies use data?</h2>
<p>Videogame production is increasingly supported by collecting large amounts of player data. Game developers use this data to optimise game design and, perhaps more commonly, how games are monetised.</p>
<p>Historically, data about players’ actions and gaming experiences have been collected through quality assurance testing, or by game developers trawling through online forums. This has changed with the rise of data mining and analysis, referred to as <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Game-Analytics-Maximizing-Value-Player/dp/1447147685">telemetry</a>, or more commonly as “data analytics”. </p>
<p>Such approaches were once limited to large “<a href="https://www.g2a.com/news/features/best-aaa-games/">Triple A</a>” companies such as <a href="https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1014406/The-Data-Cracker-Building-a">EA</a> or social gaming giants like <a href="https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/BenWeber/20201026/372498/The_Zynga_Analytics_Platform_in_2020.php">Zynga</a>. Only the biggest game designers could afford in-house software engineers to create these systems, and data analysts to use them.</p>
<p>Today data analytics are relatively cheap, accessible tools aimed at both <a href="https://cmr.berkeley.edu/2020/05/62-3-werder/">big</a> and small <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1527476419851086">independent</a> developers. Data analytics suites are a core feature of game development <a href="https://unity.com/features/analytics">software</a>, are offered by tech giants such as <a href="https://aws.amazon.com/gametech/">Amazon</a> and are also sold by standalone analytics providers such as <a href="https://gameanalytics.com/">GameAnalytics</a>.</p>
<p>Analytics might involve simple data such as the number of downloads, or may provide more complex insights, such as in-game behaviour, playing time and frequency of play. </p>
<p>The shift to freemium play, encouraged by smartphone platforms, has made it particularly important to collect data on in-app purchasing. This could include players’ geographic location, their device and operating system and their spending habits.</p>
<p>In turn, this can help game developers to determine which players are more likely to spend money while playing, and how to optimise the placement of in-game ads — a major source of revenue in freemium games.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/398504/original/file-20210503-13-u7ps59.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/398504/original/file-20210503-13-u7ps59.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=472&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398504/original/file-20210503-13-u7ps59.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=472&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398504/original/file-20210503-13-u7ps59.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=472&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398504/original/file-20210503-13-u7ps59.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=593&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398504/original/file-20210503-13-u7ps59.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=593&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398504/original/file-20210503-13-u7ps59.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=593&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">GameAnalytics interface tracking a game’s new users over time.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">GameAnalytics</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The software <a href="https://www.gameofwhales.com/">Game of Whales</a> —
named after the industry’s practice of calling big spenders “whales” —
claims to use AI to track players’ behaviour in real-time and interact with them in a way that maximises “lifetime value”, which is the total amount of revenue a player will generate while playing a game.</p>
<p>These tools are framed as allowing both large and smaller developers to create conditions which increase player spending. For example, they might minimise ads and encourage increased playing time for a high-value “whale”, while providing more ads for users who are unlikely to make in-app purchases.</p>
<p>This is the subset of the gaming industry that frames itself as being able to “control” players through data analytics. </p>
<h2>What’s the data on the data?</h2>
<p>However, while analytics companies would suggest their products <a href="https://gameanalytics.com/blog/shooting-for-the-stars-how-the-devs-behind-crossy-road-and-shooty-skies-became-mobile-masters/">work as promised</a>, we lack scholarly evidence that data capture allows videogame companies to control our minds or our wallets.</p>
<p>As critics of Harvard Professor Shoshana Zuboff’s <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Age-Surveillance-Capitalism-Future-Frontier/dp/1610395697">surveillance capitalism</a> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/oct/04/shoshana-zuboff-surveillance-capitalism-assault-human-automomy-digital-privacy">theory</a> would argue, just because game companies collect our data, that doesn’t mean they can automatically control how we behave. Data does not rob us of our agency, writes Virginia Tech’s <a href="https://sts-news.medium.com/youre-doing-it-wrong-notes-on-criticism-and-technology-hype-18b08b4307e5">Lee Vinsel</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>[…] it seems that Mark Zuckerberg can’t sell me fucking socks, let alone purposefully/significantly change my politics or self-concept.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Research on how developers use data analytics reflects this ambivalence. <a href="https://cmr.berkeley.edu/2020/05/62-3-werder/">One study</a> of French videogame company Ubisoft, and its use of data, suggests data collection “augments” (or enhances) products, rather than necessarily manipulating users into continued spending via microtransactions.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/facebooks-virtual-reality-push-is-about-data-not-gaming-145730">Facebook's virtual reality push is about data, not gaming</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Are you being manipulated?</h2>
<p>The recent Four Corners report frames the gaming industry as a largely manipulative one. It attacks the industry’s calculated pricing strategies, which can affect how we value in-game purchases. </p>
<p>But these same strategies are also widely used in the <a href="https://bettermarketing.pub/4-pricing-strategies-restaurants-use-to-make-you-spend-more-money-1ab5a1a86c29">restaurant industry</a>. Even supermarkets are designed so <a href="https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/27561/20201002/supermarkets-manipulate-people.htm">customers spend as much time as possible</a> inside. </p>
<p>Push notifications that encourage play and consumption have a real-world equivalent, too, such as <a href="https://foodbabe.com/the-behind-the-scenes-marketing-tricks/">scent machines at Disneyland</a> used to boost cotton candy and caramel apple sales.</p>
<p>Yet, we don’t think of these subtle techniques as completely robbing us of our agency. So why does the gaming industry draw so much criticism? </p>
<h2>Are there solutions?</h2>
<p>Many of the mobile and freemium games discussed in the Four Corners report are designed for children who do need greater protection since, according to some psychologists, they don’t “<a href="http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.459.1736&rep=rep1&type=pdf">comprehend commercial messages in the same way as more mature audiences</a>”.</p>
<p>In part, concerns about spending in games can be attributed to parents and non-players misunderstanding how virtual goods can actually have real value for players. </p>
<p>A virtual outfit can still help someone express their identity. A helpful strategy could be for parents to discuss with their kids what it means to spend real money on virtual goods and why they want to. </p>
<p>Although, the way some games target whales to <a href="https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/195806/chasing_the_whale_examining_the_.php?print=1">encourage unlimited spending</a> is a source of genuine concern. When it comes to monetising responsibly, game platforms and developers both have a role to play.</p>
<p>The solution may be to introduce spending limits, which research has found helps gamblers avoid <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11469-018-9892-x">problem gambling</a>.</p>
<h2>Looking after children</h2>
<p>It’s important not to conflate issues with how game companies encourage in-game spending with gaming addiction, about which there is <a href="https://akjournals.com/view/journals/2006/6/3/article-p267.xml">significant disagreement among scholars</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-03/video-games-you-play-are-using-sneaky-tactics-four-corners/100098826">Speaking to</a> the Four Corners team, one psychiatrist frames gameplay through language such as “detox” and “relapse”. This approach, which critics refer to as a form of “<a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2016-08154-001">concept creep</a>”, can result in children’s play being unnecessarily pathologised.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/gaming-addiction-as-a-mental-disorder-its-premature-to-pathologise-players-89892">Gaming addiction as a mental disorder: it's premature to pathologise players</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>In <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1329878X20921568?journalCode=miad">our research</a>, we found reason to be concerned by how this type of discourse can negatively affect children with healthy digital play habits, by stigmatising their play, causing parent-child conflict and devaluing concern about drug and alcohol addiction. </p>
<p>Children have the <a href="https://www.unicef.org.uk/what-we-do/un-convention-child-rights/#:%7E:text=The%20Convention%20has%2054%20articles,can%20enjoy%20all%20their%20rights.">right to play</a> and this <a href="https://childrens-rights.digital/fokus/index.cfm/topic.274">extends to the digital world</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/160182/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>There’s not enough scholarly evidence to suggest game companies can control our minds or our wallets.Ben Egliston, Postdoctoral research fellow, Digital Media Research Centre, Queensland University of TechnologyJane Mavoa, PhD candidate researching children's play in digital games, The University of MelbourneMarcus Carter, Senior Lecturer in Digital Cultures, SOAR Fellow., University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1513512020-12-23T14:54:12Z2020-12-23T14:54:12ZMake room for play as we stumble through this pandemic holiday and new year<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/375272/original/file-20201215-13-14hl64a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=29%2C22%2C4468%2C3280&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Play is integral to how children process and understand their experiences.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>We hear constantly how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/bank-canada-economy-covid-19-1.5780703">the economy</a>, <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/45-28-0001/2020001/article/00078-eng.htm">personal finance</a>, <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/pandemic-learning-gap-1.5732441">education</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2020.1761076">health</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/dont-say-goodbye-to-zoom-yet-most-people-want-to-get-back-to-the-office-but-not-for-the-full-week-151057">the work day</a>. But what about play — how has the pandemic affected play? </p>
<p>The community capacity to provide play opportunities has been diminished by COVID-19 restrictions or closures, yet <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/6881629/coronavirus-lockdown-child-care/">parental workload at home</a> has generally grown, which in turn has strained parents’ <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html">mental well-being</a>. Children’s play is now largely determined by parents’ ability to facilitate play in or around the home.</p>
<p>Research at the University of Regina has explored the effects that the pandemic appears to have on play. A recent study analyzed 10 conversations of between 60 and 90 minutes with parent participants describing their experiences in one-on-one virtual meetings, as well as hundreds of electronically submitted stories about play (or lack thereof) during the pandemic. The study is now undergoing peer review. </p>
<p>Since many communities are facing challenging second wave lockdowns or restrictions, we wanted to share our current recommendations for supporting play at home during the COVID-19 pandemic through the holidays and into 2021 <a href="https://www.playyqr.ca/research.html">based on our early findings</a> and our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/21594937.2017.1288391">research expertise in play</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A child at a playground in winter." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/376486/original/file-20201222-17-45m1yk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/376486/original/file-20201222-17-45m1yk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376486/original/file-20201222-17-45m1yk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376486/original/file-20201222-17-45m1yk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376486/original/file-20201222-17-45m1yk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376486/original/file-20201222-17-45m1yk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376486/original/file-20201222-17-45m1yk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Making an effort to get outside even for a few minutes every day appears to be a critical step towards play, health and happiness during these challenging times.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Whitney Blaisdell)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>1. Prioritize your own wellness</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4152417/">Parental wellness</a> is a critical factor to play during the pandemic. Adults whose wellness is suffering are more likely to become not only less playful, but to actively resist play. Conversely, adult wellness spills over to benefit children through an increased ability to be fun-loving, relaxed and playful. It is recommended that adults prioritize their own wellness throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.</p>
<h2>2. Value play</h2>
<p>Play is often <a href="https://www.dailyitem.com/news/fulbright-scholar-where-did-play-time-go/article_09bb48d4-c925-5c42-8e59-c4db605b3c46.html">undervalued</a>. A perceived importance of <a href="https://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=jcHOugXx33wC&oi=fnd&pg=PA147&dq=info:Ff-k8OUoUI8J:scholar.google.com&ots=YKM6E8lD0r&sig=wFKX44MDVdR0pPUei2EJMdFi52c&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false">academic achievement over play for small children</a> and an increasingly <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/9/9/3134">risk-avoidant society can threaten children’s opportunities to play</a>. </p>
<p>Play is a wonderful <a href="https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X034001013">tool for learning and cognitive development</a>. More importantly, play is fun and life is short. </p>
<p>In the midst of a pandemic that has placed constant demands on people to <a href="https://hbr.org/sponsored/2020/07/6-ways-to-avoid-isolation-fatigue-while-balancing-the-demands-of-remote-work">adapt their professional capacities</a> while <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/20/7417">lacking in-person contact</a>, play can become a vital avenue for both adults and children to strengthen our outlook and resilience. Approaching the pandemic, as much as possible, as a novel opportunity for family togetherness and play allows us to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic with greater joy and to foster resilience.</p>
<h2>3. Set a tone for neighbourhood play</h2>
<p>The visibility of children playing outdoors appears to be contagious. Parents can normalize free play by offering their children more freedom to play or even discussing their desire for a more playful community with neighbours. </p>
<p>Children have generally been <a href="https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/covid-19-return-to-school">expected to meet public health guidelines in school</a> that often include <a href="https://www.tdsb.on.ca/In-Person-Learning/Health-and-Safety/Mask-and-Face-Covering-Requirements-For-TDSB-Students-and-Staff">wearing masks</a> and <a href="https://peopleforeducation.ca/our-work/tracking-canadas-education-systems-response-to-covid-19/">maintaining physical distance</a> from people outside of their household; parents can ask and reasonably expect children to follow the same guidelines in their outdoor play. The current <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-adult-sports-ban-1.5826300">lack of structured activities</a> combined with the professional obligations of many parents working from home has created an opportunity for community revitalization of children’s outdoor free play.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Brothers with a sled." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/376440/original/file-20201222-15-576lle.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/376440/original/file-20201222-15-576lle.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376440/original/file-20201222-15-576lle.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376440/original/file-20201222-15-576lle.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376440/original/file-20201222-15-576lle.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376440/original/file-20201222-15-576lle.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376440/original/file-20201222-15-576lle.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Parents can play a role in normalizing free play by offering their children more freedom to play outside or talking with neighbours.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>4. See children as drivers of play</h2>
<p>Children often engage in play with items or ideas that appear unchildlike or unplayful. Their play may revolve around mature concepts like death, illness, justice and control. Psychologist Lev Vygotsky <a href="https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1070266.pdf">famously wrote</a>: “In play a child is always above his average age, above his daily behaviour; in play it is as though he were a head taller than himself. As in the focus of a magnifying glass, play contains all developmental tendencies in a condensed form; in play it is as though the child were trying to jump above the level of his normal behaviour.” </p>
<p>Seeing children as drivers of their own play who are capable of conceiving, planning and executing their play will offer children an opportunity to increase their play stamina, while putting less stress on parents to entertain their children.</p>
<h2>5. Arrange a playful environment</h2>
<p>Homes with access to a private yard stand out as an advantage in offering opportunities for play. Of course, this is a privilege that <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/45-28-0001/2020001/article/00009-eng.htm">many families do not have</a>. However, a playful environment can be arranged with little to no spending. First, make the home feel as safe as necessary, so children can freely explore the home environment with minimal supervision. </p>
<p>Next, minimize toys. Children’s play relies surprisingly little on toys, and tidying toys can be a burden to parents who are currently experiencing a heavier domestic workload.</p>
<p>Finally, make outdoor access as easy as possible. Visible and easily accessed outerwear and footwear, and mats or towels near exterior doors to minimize mess, help make outdoor play more enjoyable and attractive.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Girl with soccer ball." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/376442/original/file-20201222-23-5o42xm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/376442/original/file-20201222-23-5o42xm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376442/original/file-20201222-23-5o42xm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376442/original/file-20201222-23-5o42xm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376442/original/file-20201222-23-5o42xm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376442/original/file-20201222-23-5o42xm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376442/original/file-20201222-23-5o42xm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Spending time playing outdoors has been found to greatly contribute to one’s overall well-being.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>6. Get outside</h2>
<p>Spending time playing outdoors has been found to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44097-3">greatly contribute to one’s overall well-being</a>. </p>
<p>Trying to make an effort to get outside even for a few minutes every day appears to be a critical step towards play, health and happiness during these challenging times.</p>
<p>Overall, COVID-19 is wreaking havoc on our <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp2008017">individual and collective health and social and emotional functioning</a>. As we stumble our way through this pandemic, let’s remember that <a href="https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-children-process-grief-and-loss-through-play">play itself is integral to how children can process and understand their experiences with the pandemic; it is how they make sense of the world</a>.</p>
<p>Through attending to our own wellness, examining our attitudes towards play, normalizing child-structured outdoor play, framing children as drivers of play, arranging a playful environment and spending time outside, we too are attempting to be more playful and joyful during this challenging time. We wish the readers all the best in their own pursuit of play.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/151351/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Patrick J Lewis is affiliated with Project Play YQR a non profit which works to promote Play. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Whitney Blaisdell is the founder of Project Play YQR, a non-profit organization that promotes play.</span></em></p>Supporting play begins with parents attending to their own wellness and seeing children as drivers of their own play.Patrick J Lewis, Associate Dean, Professor ECE, University of ReginaWhitney Blaisdell, Master's student, Faculty of Education, University of ReginaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1453822020-09-10T20:10:02Z2020-09-10T20:10:02ZChild’s play in the time of COVID: screen games are still ‘real’ play<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/357338/original/file-20200910-18-119q08e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/boy-playing-computer-game-219625012">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Play is a core part of a <a href="https://raisingchildren.net.au/newborns/play-learning/play-ideas/why-play-is-important">healthy childhood</a>, through which children develop social, communication, cognitive and physical skills. </p>
<p>Children’s play adapts to its circumstances. Recently children have been incorporating <a href="https://panmemic.hypotheses.org/683">pandemic related themes into their play</a>, such as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/04/childrens-games-are-going-viral">coronavirus tag</a>, where the point is to “infect” as many children as possible. Play is also likely to help children <a href="https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-children-process-grief-and-loss-through-play">process feelings of loss</a> associated with the pandemic. </p>
<p>With playgrounds, playdates and playcentres often off the menu, many parents and children are relying on digital games for play. But children’s use of screens remains a source of <a href="https://www.rchpoll.org.au/polls/top-10-child-health-problems/">anxiety</a> and <a href="https://www.rchpoll.org.au/polls/screen-time-whats-happening-in-our-homes/">conflict</a> for many parents. </p>
<p>Our recent research finds children are mimicking real world play in the digital space. This means screen play can help substitute for what kids may be missing out on during the pandemic.</p>
<h2>Digital play is still play</h2>
<p>Research shows playing on a screen builds many of the same skills as playing off screen. This includes <a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/amp-a0034857.pdf">spatial and cognitive skills</a>, as well as <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/220686314_What_Video_Games_Have_to_Teach_Us_About_Learning_and_Literacy">learning</a> and <a href="http://www.techandplay.org/reports/TAP_Final_Report.pdf">creativity</a>.</p>
<p>But compared to <a href="https://www.bl.uk/playtimes#:%7E:text=Explore%20a%20collection%20of%20film,children's%20songs%2C%20rhymes%20and%20games.">non-digital</a> <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/21594937.2012.739826?mobileUi=0&journalCode=rijp20">play</a>, we still know comparatively little about play in digital spaces. </p>
<p>In 2018, we conducted a <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1461444817745320">survey of 753 Melbourne parents</a> to find what sort of digital games children were playing, on which devices and with whom. It showed 53% of children aged 6 to 8, and 68% of children aged 9 to 12, were actively playing Minecraft. More than half of those played more than once per week.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/357392/original/file-20200910-19-1y6yseo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A minecraft character on a screen rowing a boat, surrounded by greenery" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/357392/original/file-20200910-19-1y6yseo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/357392/original/file-20200910-19-1y6yseo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/357392/original/file-20200910-19-1y6yseo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/357392/original/file-20200910-19-1y6yseo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/357392/original/file-20200910-19-1y6yseo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/357392/original/file-20200910-19-1y6yseo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/357392/original/file-20200910-19-1y6yseo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">In Minecraft, the onscreen world is a kind of digital playground.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/tamahikari/30824643278/in/photolist-NXSmwS-NPusiJ-2b6vf2g-NPurvm-29FrJsi-29YhiSw-29DQUfa-NPusyd-29FrJDa-aj2T9a-bqGz9j-bx2zHy-22D5ns9-NXSmYy-Eygoa3-22D5nqL-bx2zRJ-bKWhUi-2anzFBw-bKWhGn-29Hd3SF-NPusKf-28qmPEL-29WjTqc-29MXyye-2b6e8nr-29WFLuA-NXSk5o-P6whU3-2b6e7gD-29WjSoH-22D5ndG-NVGGaS-2bacwnh-qhKEa4-NVGFoG-29GP4mY-2anzEYC-q1ucJT-2b6e8fn-NVGFHE-Q8aUQo-q1n6GW-21m2d5k-NVGFzJ-EygnWs-ddqdCP-ddq8dV-21m2d1c-Eygoc7">Flickr/Tamahikari Tammas</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In <a href="https://www.minecraft.net/en-us">Minecraft</a>, players can build, fight for survival or engage in imaginative play, using the digital landscape as a kind of virtual playground. It can be played offline or online, alone or with other people, on a range of devices. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/minecraft-teaches-kids-about-tech-but-theres-a-gender-imbalance-at-play-89496">Minecraft teaches kids about tech, but there’s a gender imbalance at play</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Since the survey, we have been studying in depth the Minecraft play of 6-8 year-old children from ten families across Melbourne. We interviewed children and their parents and recorded many hours of Minecraft play. We saw children engaging in many types of important play.</p>
<p>In 1996, theorist Bob Hughes <a href="https://medium.com/@playgroundideas/what-does-play-look-like-46b1dc0c670b">identified 16 different types</a> of play. These include</p>
<ul>
<li><p><strong>sociodramatic play</strong> where children act out everyday scenarios such as playing “school” or “families”</p></li>
<li><p><strong>symbolic play</strong> where children use objects to stand in for other objects, such as a stick becoming a broom or a sword</p></li>
<li><p><strong>creative play</strong> where children make use of colour, form, texture and spatial awareness to produce structures or art</p></li>
<li><p><strong>dramatic play</strong> where children incorporate popular media content into their play, such as acting like pop stars</p></li>
<li><p><strong>locomotor play</strong> where the joy of movement and a sense of vertigo is key to action, like going on swings or climbing a tree.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Here’s some of what we saw children doing in Minecraft, and how it fell into these categories of play:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>two children set about building a town, complete with movie theatre and Bunnings hardware store, while pretending to be a couple with twin babies (sociodramatic play) </p></li>
<li><p>kids designated on-screen “emeralds” as telephones, insisting one player must be “holding” an emerald to talk to other players who were far away in game space. They followed telephone conventions, such as saying “ring ring, ring ring”, then waiting for someone to say “hello” (symbolic play) </p></li>
<li><p>kids broke into spontaneous song and dance both on and off-screen, and playfully teased siblings on text chat (communication play)</p></li>
<li><p>kids made careful choices in relation to design and aesthetics when building. They used “Redstone”, which functions like electricity in the game and can be used to make structures light up or move, and made weird and wonderful machines with it (creative play)</p></li>
<li><p>several children flew their screen characters high into the sky, and then had them fall back down while crying “whee!”. We also saw them zipping around on a “roller coaster” made of Minecart tracks, which seemed to give a sense of vertigo and thrill of movement (locomotor play)</p></li>
<li><p>some kids pretended to be YouTubers while commentating or dramatising their own play in the style of a YouTube video (dramatic play).</p></li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/355940/original/file-20200902-22-1fvbkl9.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/355940/original/file-20200902-22-1fvbkl9.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/355940/original/file-20200902-22-1fvbkl9.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/355940/original/file-20200902-22-1fvbkl9.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/355940/original/file-20200902-22-1fvbkl9.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=418&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/355940/original/file-20200902-22-1fvbkl9.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=418&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/355940/original/file-20200902-22-1fvbkl9.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=418&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Seven year old ‘Beth’ and her dad put the finishing touches on their TNT cat sculptures before determining who wins the prize for ‘most satisfying explosion.’</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">study participant data</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>There are obvious differences — both negative and positive – between play on a screen and play in a physical space. “Making a cake” in Minecraft doesn’t involve the same sensory and fine motor experiences as making a real cake. Nor does running around Minecraft terrain work major muscle groups. But children jumping off high structures in Minecraft also don’t risk physical injury. </p>
<p>And it’s important to note no play activity — digital or otherwise — offers every range of experience. A <a href="https://www.de.ed.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2020-07/Digital%20Play%20-%20Plowman%202020.pdf">“varied diet” of play activities</a> is best. </p>
<h2>Physical lockdowns, digital freedom</h2>
<p>Parents can take note of what is going on in the worlds of Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite and whatever other digital spaces their children are playing in to get a better idea of their kids’ onscreen play worlds.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/stop-worrying-about-screen-time-its-your-childs-screen-experience-that-matters-118610">Stop worrying about screen 'time'. It's your child’s screen experience that matters</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Playing with them is one good way to do this. But, not every parent has the desire, and children may not want parents tagging along. So, parents can ask questions about what their child likes about a particular game; what happened in a recent play session; and note connections between digital and non-digital play and events. </p>
<p>Children have the <a href="https://www.unicef.org.au/Upload/UNICEF/Media/Our%20work/childfriendlycrc.pdf">right to play</a>. It is up to adults to ensure we uphold that right. This is especially relevant when many children’s play-worlds have been dramatically altered.</p>
<p><em>The <a href="https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents">eSafety Commissioner</a> website has a great range of resources for parents to help make online play as safe and enjoyable as possible.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/145382/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jane Mavoa is board member and treasurer of the Digital Games Research Association of Australia. She has previously received a top-up scholarship from the Microsoft Social Natural User Interfaces Research Group. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Marcus Carter has previoulsy consulted for Telstra Ltd. Marcus Carter is a board member of the Digital Games Research Association of Australia. </span></em></p>Digital play can be a great substitute for play in the physical world. Research shows playing on a screen builds many of the same skills.Jane Mavoa, PhD candidate researching children's play in digital games, The University of MelbourneMarcus Carter, Senior Lecturer in Digital Cultures, SOAR Fellow., University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1391652020-05-31T11:58:01Z2020-05-31T11:58:01ZKids will need recess more than ever when returning to school post-coronavirus<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/337773/original/file-20200526-106848-2mz63a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C395%2C5757%2C3502&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The COVID-19 pandemic provides an opportunity for us to rethink and redesign how schools support children's social connections and opportunities for informal play and recreation.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>School leaders globally are tasked with the unenviable challenge of planning for school reopenings after COVID-19 pandemic shut downs. Having experienced their own isolation, anxiety, exhaustion and challenges of taking schools online, they are now challenged to redesign their schools to mitigate the effects of a pandemic.</p>
<p>Amid concerns about social distancing, it would be easy for education authorities to consider recess as a low priority, and perhaps even easier to cancel it.</p>
<p>Please don’t. In anticipation that recess might be sidelined by the pandemic, we are among a newly formed group of researchers, pediatricians and school leaders concerned about recess. We are leveraging three decades of evidence related to children’s developmental needs to highlight, in a <a href="https://globalrecessalliance.org/recess-statement/">global statement</a>, why recess should be prioritized.</p>
<h2>Yes, prioritize recess</h2>
<p>Recess is typically the only unstructured time in the school day that provides a setting for children’s physical, social and emotional development — all of which are foundational for mental well-being, school engagement and learning. </p>
<p>But when children return to school, we must ensure recess is meaningful, playful and inclusive. Why is recess so important, and why now?</p>
<p>After months of physical and social isolation, stress and uncertainty, students are going to need a supportive, safe and inclusive place to connect with each other — far more than they need the opportunity to catch up with schoolwork. </p>
<p>From the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/cs/article-abstract/40/2/114/4866398">students’ perspective</a>, recess is a social space; it is less about a break from class or accumulating their necessary daily physical activity. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/337778/original/file-20200526-106815-10la9pn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/337778/original/file-20200526-106815-10la9pn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=404&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337778/original/file-20200526-106815-10la9pn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=404&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337778/original/file-20200526-106815-10la9pn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=404&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337778/original/file-20200526-106815-10la9pn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=508&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337778/original/file-20200526-106815-10la9pn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=508&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337778/original/file-20200526-106815-10la9pn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=508&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Children wash their hands at the Saint-Tronc Castelroc primary school in Marseille, France, May 14, 2020.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(AP Photo/Daniel Cole)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Friendships, belonging</h2>
<p>What matters to students, first and foremost, is friendships, social connections and feelings of acceptance and belonging. And this happens through play, recreation and leisure activities — at every age.</p>
<p>Recess is the best time in the school day when students can connect with peers and engage in meaningful, self-directed, recreational play. </p>
<p>And for many children, especially those who live in high-poverty urban neighbourhoods, recess may be may be their <a href="https://www.refworld.org/docid/51ef9bcc4.html">only chance for outdoor, self-directed play in their entire day</a>. Increases in screen time, urban density, neighbourhood violence, fears of injury and abduction, lack of accessible or affordable recreation and a focus on organized sports all contribute to <a href="https://open.library.ubc.ca/cIRcle/collections/facultyresearchandpublications/52383/items/1.0378361">declining opportunities</a> for informal play and recreation. And under the current pandemic, children’s mental health and emotional well-being will depend on it. </p>
<h2>Critical for health, well-being</h2>
<p>It is already clear that the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30168-1">mental health effects of the pandemic</a> are pervasive and are likely to persist. Given that 70 per cent of mental disorders <a href="https://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/human-humain06/pdf/human_face_e.pdf">begin in childhood</a>, children will need time and space to heal from the collective trauma.</p>
<p>Social relationships, in particular, provide a context for emotional support, enjoyment, creative play, physical activity and the development of social identities — all of which <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1177%2F0022146510383501">contribute to overall development and well-being</a>. School planning efforts must focus on reducing sustained feelings of isolation and loneliness in order to <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1007%2Fs12160-010-9210-8">protect against widespread increases in anxiety, depression and suicide</a>.</p>
<h2>Recess can ease the effects of inequality</h2>
<p>This pandemic exacerbates the effects of pre-existing social inequality. Many schools in Canada, especially those serving the most vulnerable children, don’t have a <a href="http://www.recessprojectcanada.com/publications.html">history of supporting meaningful, quality recess experiences for students</a>. </p>
<p>Recess is typically overlooked in policy and practice, resulting in minimal funds, supervision and equipment. Canada has one of the highest rates of <a href="https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000366483">school-based violence</a> of all the developed nations, disproportionately affecting children from <a href="https://www.refworld.org/docid/51ef9bcc4.html">vulnerable populations</a> and undermining the positive benefits of social connection and play.</p>
<p>School environments themselves are telling, especially in our more vulnerable urban neighborhoods: concrete, rusty, barren and soulless. And instead of enjoyment and connection there is boredom, exclusion, conflict, behaviour challenges and violence — factors that promote social patterns that <a href="https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED598614">perpetuate inequity in schools</a>. There is much more we can do to support children, and we have an unprecedented opportunity now to do better.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/337777/original/file-20200526-106815-8fgfcn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/337777/original/file-20200526-106815-8fgfcn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=418&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337777/original/file-20200526-106815-8fgfcn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=418&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337777/original/file-20200526-106815-8fgfcn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=418&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337777/original/file-20200526-106815-8fgfcn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=526&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337777/original/file-20200526-106815-8fgfcn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=526&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337777/original/file-20200526-106815-8fgfcn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=526&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">School principal Marie-Claude Bergeron calls out names of students to allow them in the school yard of the Marie-Derome School in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., on May 11, 2020.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The right to recess</h2>
<p>Yes, recess is a fundamental human right. Canada is a ratified member of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Of the 54 articles, one of the most overlooked and unprotected of the rights is <a href="https://www.refworld.org/docid/51ef9bcc4.html">Article 31</a>, “the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child.” </p>
<p>Schools are not exempt from playing a role in protecting and promoting children’s right to play, rest and leisure. Schools have a responsibility to ensure the recess environment is inclusive, fully accessible, secure from the effects of social harm and appropriate for all genders, ages, stages and abilities.</p>
<h2>But what about COVID-19?</h2>
<p>Our research group has combined our expertise to provide answers and concrete strategies for a recess that not only works under the current circumstances but paves the way for a better recess. The purpose of our global statement is to provide educators with practical evidence-based strategies that ensure opportunities for healthy, meaningful play while simultaneously minimizing the spread of the virus. </p>
<p>The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/guidance-for-schools.html">recommends segregating recess by class</a>. Smaller groups will not only minimize the spread of the virus but provide an opportunity to ensure recess is much more manageable, inclusive and enjoyable.</p>
<h2>5 recommendations</h2>
<p>In collaboration with local health officials, schools could consider the following <a href="https://globalrecessalliance.org/recess-statement/">recommendations</a>:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Count recess as instructional time to enable teachers to remain with and support their class, and provide a separate dedicated break time for the teacher.</p></li>
<li><p>Schedule at least two sustained periods of recess every day for every child and hold it outdoors whenever possible.</p></li>
<li><p>Engage children in planning and ensure they include a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/21594937.2014.932504">continuum of options</a> to choose from. Engage them in setting expectations and rules for health and safety. Provide leadership opportunities for students to help support each other, maintain the equipment and emphasize the importance of <a href="https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED598614">diversity and inclusion</a>.</p></li>
<li><p>Avoid strict rules like “no running” and “no ball throwing” that can <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120606423">undermine the benefits of play and physical activity</a>.</p></li>
<li><p>Don’t withhold recess as punishment for missed schoolwork, poor classroom behaviour or any other reason. Instead, ensure that all children have access, feel safe and included and are able to experience meaningful and playful engagement.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>This pandemic provides us with an opportunity to rethink — and redesign — the way we support social connection and opportunities for informal play and recreation in school.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/139165/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lauren McNamara receives funding from the McConnell Family Foundation. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Pasi Sahlberg does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Global experts in child development say recess will be critical for children’s well-being when schools reopen, so education authorities should see planning recess as a high priority.Lauren McNamara, Research Scientist (Education and Social Change), Diversity Insitute, Ted Rogers School of Management, Toronto Metropolitan UniversityPasi Sahlberg, Professor of Education Policy, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1371872020-05-06T20:47:12Z2020-05-06T20:47:12ZCoronavirus spotlights equity and access issues with children’s right to play<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/332119/original/file-20200503-42956-lc0fny.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C112%2C2497%2C1769&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Caution tape is pictured surrounding a children's play structure in North Vancouver, B.C., March 23, 2020. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>“Mommy, the police are coming!” my nine-year-old calls to me from her scooter. We’re on the lakefront path near our home in Toronto and she’s anxious after seeing <a href="https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/toronto-mayor-says-complaints-about-physical-distancing-violations-dropped-dramatically-1.4892800">by-law enforcement officers patrolling the park</a>. </p>
<p>We’ve also heard about the father in Oakville who was fined <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/6810568/coronavirus-oakville-ontario-rollarblading-fine/">for rollerblading in an empty parking lot with his three children</a>. </p>
<p>Many guidelines for outdoor activity in the pandemic don’t seem to consider children’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-in-doubt-let-them-out-children-have-the-right-to-play-128780">need and right to play</a>. The City of Toronto’s guidelines on physical distancing speak of <a href="https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-protect-yourself-others/covid-19-stay-reduce-virus-spread/?accordion=physical-distancing">limiting trips outdoors</a>. </p>
<p>Toronto has said in its COVID-19 changes to city services that “people can <a href="https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-latest-city-of-toronto-news/affected-city-services/">walk/run/bike” on the various routes through a park</a> but there’s no mention of play.</p>
<p>So how can parents support a child’s need and right to play, when they don’t have a backyard or anywhere else to escape?</p>
<p>In my doctoral work at the University of Toronto, I study children’s outdoor play. I’m particularly interested in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/21594937.2019.1684145">how adults support outdoor play</a> to ensure children have access to high-quality play opportunities. I’ve learned that all adults, from public health officials to police officers to parents and neighbours, need to understand the importance of outdoor play to healthy child development in order to support it.</p>
<h2>Access to play in a pandemic</h2>
<p>While <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/2/190">parents strongly influence whether their children go out to play</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2015.01.005">access to spaces and places to play matters</a>. Some families have private backyards or cottages and some live in houses with wide boulevards and fewer cars, but many do not. </p>
<p>Although the key public health imperative in this crisis is to <a href="https://www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/should-i-go-outside-in-the-covid-19-era/">stay apart from others, official guidelines encourage us to stay home</a>. The <a href="https://www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/pandemic-play-child-centred-policy-in-a-global-crisis/">closing of all national parks, many provincial parks</a> and <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/conservation-authority-closed-covid-1.5508074">conservation areas</a> has reduced public access to green spaces. In Toronto, where we live, even <a href="http://www.highparktoronto.com/">High Park is currently closed</a> <a href="https://toronto.citynews.ca/2020/04/29/high-park-closure-cherry-blossoms/">as budding cherry blossoms tend to attract crowds</a>.</p>
<p>When municipal <a href="https://toronto.citynews.ca/2020/03/25/city-of-toronto-closing-all-park-amenities-and-playgrounds/">playground equipment is also closed</a>, children’s play naturally increases in other community spaces, <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7721/chilyoutenvi.16.1.0151?seq=1">including neighbourhood streets</a>. </p>
<p>In our small townhouse complex, children and families play in the laneway and culs-de-sac. We have to be mindful of cars for safety. While many of our neighbours support children’s play, some complain it’s a noisy nuisance and do not welcome children or our basketball net in our community space. </p>
<p>Even under normal circumstances, all of these challenges of finding spaces to play are multiplied when high-rise apartment buildings and population-dense neighbourhoods suffer from a <a href="http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/outdoor-play/according-experts/designing-cities-outdoor-play">lack of urban planning for children’s play</a>. </p>
<p>In a pandemic, when playgrounds and parks are closed, how on Earth are parents with varied access to the outdoors supposed to manage when there is nowhere for them to take their children to play outside? </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/332120/original/file-20200503-42962-ny4oia.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/332120/original/file-20200503-42962-ny4oia.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=404&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332120/original/file-20200503-42962-ny4oia.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=404&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332120/original/file-20200503-42962-ny4oia.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=404&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332120/original/file-20200503-42962-ny4oia.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=508&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332120/original/file-20200503-42962-ny4oia.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=508&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332120/original/file-20200503-42962-ny4oia.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=508&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Challenges of finding spaces to play are multiplied when high-rise apartment buildings and population-dense neighbourhoods suffer from a lack of urban planning for children’s play.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Children don’t ‘exercise,’ they play</h2>
<p>While adults quietly go out for a walk and to exercise, children energetically burst outside to play.</p>
<p>In <a href="https://www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/outdoor-play-glossary-of-terms-5.1.pdf">outdoor play</a>, children run, skip, climb, circle back and stop to explore. They build and destroy. They take <a href="http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/outdoor-play/according-experts/outdoor-risky-play">risks and test their limits</a>. Children pretend and make up their own games. They play traditional games like basketball. They also make some noise! </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/children1030280">Children need play</a> more than ever right now. </p>
<p>Like everyone else, <a href="https://developingchild.harvard.edu/stress-resilience-and-the-role-of-science-responding-to-the-coronavirus-pandemic/">children are under great stress during COVID-19</a>. They are separated from school and friends, and they are trying to adapt as best they can. Tragically, some children are at <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsir.2020.100089">increased risk for abuse</a> when stuck inside with stressed caregivers. Physical activity researchers have expressed concern about <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(20)30131-0">the potential demise in healthy movement behaviours during the pandemic, particularly for vulnerable families in high-density housing with reduced access to the outdoors</a>.</p>
<p>Making sure all children can play outdoors is one of the best ways to help kids because <a href="https://www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/position-statement-on-active-outdoor-play/">outdoor play has multiple benefits</a>. It supports <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(17)30092-5">mental health</a>. It keeps kids <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.3390%2Fijerph120606455">active and healthy</a>, which <a href="http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/outdoor-play/according-experts/influence-outdoor-play-social-and-cognitive-development">in turn supports learning and development</a>. </p>
<p>Children think creatively and solve problems as they play. They learn to get along with others and manage their behaviour. </p>
<p><a href="https://csepguidelines.ca/children-and-youth-5-17/">Canadian guidelines</a> recommend children spend several hours a day in light physical activity that is <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/12/6/6455/htm">most naturally acquired outdoors</a> through play where there is room to move. And for once in our busy lives, children have more time to play!</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/332878/original/file-20200505-83757-10as6vx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/332878/original/file-20200505-83757-10as6vx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332878/original/file-20200505-83757-10as6vx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332878/original/file-20200505-83757-10as6vx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332878/original/file-20200505-83757-10as6vx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332878/original/file-20200505-83757-10as6vx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332878/original/file-20200505-83757-10as6vx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">While adults quietly go out for a walk and to exercise, children energetically burst outside to play.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A child’s right to play</h2>
<p>The child’s right to play, <a href="https://www.unicef-irc.org/portfolios/crc.html">as guaranteed by Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child,</a> is compatible with physical distancing principles when we recognize outdoor play as the natural, desirable behaviour of children. </p>
<p>Children should be encouraged to play outdoors safely, not stuck inside or channelled into “exercising” as the only manner to use a park. The risk of virus transmission via contact with shared surfaces can be eliminated by asking families to use their own play materials and equipment. </p>
<p>Amid <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/children-may-not-be-super-spreaders-afterall-new-research-suggests-1.5552099">uncertainty about children as spreaders of the coronavirus</a>, decision makers might consider <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/21594937.2013.863440">children’s need to play with other children</a> and assess the risks versus the benefits of limiting social play beyond individual households. Closing streets and enabling the use of vast empty parking lots would provide increased space to play where green space is scarce. </p>
<p>Although greater attention to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/23748834.2019.1682836">child-friendly urban planning</a> is required to truly address equitable access to outdoor play, more can be done now. If we stop to consider children’s particular needs, adults can find ways to support outdoor play through more inclusive public health policy and its implementation.</p>
<p>As we navigate and move beyond this crisis, outdoor play can be a powerful intervention for children’s present and future well-being — as long as access to the outdoors doesn’t hinge on a family’s backyard status.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/137187/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christine Alden works for the Lawson Foundation as Program Director for Early Child Development and the Outdoor Play Strategy. </span></em></p>One father was fined for rollerblading with kids in a parking lot, while other families hit the cottage. Families’ backyard or property status should not determine kids’ right to outdoor play.Christine Alden, PhD Candidate, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of TorontoLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1357512020-04-12T11:46:06Z2020-04-12T11:46:06ZLet the children play: 4 reasons why play is vital during the coronavirus<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/326872/original/file-20200409-156201-ttp7r4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C7%2C3591%2C2191&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Adults sometimes trivialize play when we say children are 'just playing' or when we use play as a reward for when the so-called 'real work' is done</span> </figcaption></figure><p>Now that we’re <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2020/03/coronavirus-social-distancing-over-back-to-normal/608752/">spending so much time at home</a>, I predict that it won’t be just our houseplants and pets that will thrive. Upending the tightly scheduled days of parents and children has provided more time for an activity that allows children to flourish: play. </p>
<p>Who knows what the new normal will be once the pandemic has subsided, but one possibility is that the somewhat <a href="https://aeon.co/essays/children-today-are-suffering-a-severe-deficit-of-play">lost art of play</a> will emerge as one of the saving graces of our time.</p>
<p>Play is such a simple concept. It is a pleasurable activity that we do just to do it. It is voluntary, meaning that we can stop when we want, and it provides us with opportunities to <a href="http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/sites/default/files/docs/suggestions/let-the-children-play_jane-hewes.pdf">develop our own world view and to learn about the perspectives of others</a>.</p>
<p>We all have memories of playing with our friends, our siblings, our cousins and with kids we just met and, if we squint back very carefully at the past, we might remember that we were in charge of our own play — not the grown-ups. </p>
<p>Lately, though, and as a function of the world we live in, this type of simple play <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0CQxL38RE4">has been edged out of children’s lives</a>, in some cases replaced with activities like soccer and gymnastics, ballet and baseball, music and swimming lessons. <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.5056">And then there are the screens</a> — so many screens. But now the calendar is empty and there is time to play.</p>
<h2>My plea</h2>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/326888/original/file-20200409-156201-1x6fiwh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/326888/original/file-20200409-156201-1x6fiwh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=720&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/326888/original/file-20200409-156201-1x6fiwh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=720&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/326888/original/file-20200409-156201-1x6fiwh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=720&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/326888/original/file-20200409-156201-1x6fiwh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=905&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/326888/original/file-20200409-156201-1x6fiwh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=905&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/326888/original/file-20200409-156201-1x6fiwh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=905&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Play is a pleasurable and learning-rich activity for children.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>What about schoolwork, parents may ask? And what about routine? And what about my sanity? Can’t I please let them be in front of screens? Of course. What we’re all trying to achieve is a workable balance. Children need to have a predictable yet flexible routine to their days.</p>
<p>This may involve some schoolwork, depending on the age of the child, and it will very likely involve some screen time, again, depending on the child’s age. My plea, however, is that we understand the invaluable learning that comes with play, and that play is recognized as a vital part of the daily routine.
<a href="https://earlyyearsstudy.ca/report_chapters/chapter-2-highlights/">Play and play-based learning</a> is crucial to children’s development and learning. </p>
<p>Instinctively, we know this, but we sometimes trivialize play when we refer to children as “just playing” or when we use play as a reward for when the real work is done. It can be difficult to articulate the benefits of play. To help, let me share <a href="https://www.msvu.ca/en/home/programsdepartments/professionalstudies/childandyouthstudy/faculty/faculty/c.mclean.aspx">how I’ve spelled out the meaning of play with the acronym “P.L.A.Y.”</a> </p>
<h2>P: Problem-based learning</h2>
<p>Whenever a child plays, they are seeking <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X13498337">to solve a problem</a>.</p>
<p>Just watch your child at play and see if you can figure out what problem is being solved. Is it how to make the puzzle pieces fit? How to make the block tower stand? How to convince baby brother to be a dog for the fifth day in a row? This type of problem-solving is a much more effective way to learn than more abstract teaching methods like worksheets. </p>
<h2>L: Language-rich</h2>
<p>Listen to the language that children use when they play together. When children play house or play store, they <a href="https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED504839.pdf">use sophisticated language that we don’t ordinarily hear from them in other non-play situations</a>. They are the grown-ups now and their language reflects this. Vygotsky, the Russian psychologist said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“In play, a child always behaves beyond his average age, above his daily behaviour. In play, it is as though he were a <a href="https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1070266">head taller than himself</a>.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>During play, children are motivated to read and write — writing notes, menus, tickets for theatre plays, signs that instruct others, like “don’t touch this.” It is where they see the meaning and function of print which helps to build a strong foundation for literacy learning.</p>
<h2>A: Active environment</h2>
<p>“A” stands for “active environment.” Active learning means hands-on, getting dirty, “face and eyes into it” type of play. It means using all the senses to learn and where the player gets to choose the play materials, the type of play, the play participants. It is when they get to be in charge. <a href="http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/play-based-learning/">The role for adults is to provide the space, materials and opportunity and then see what happens. </a></p>
<h2>Y: Young children</h2>
<p>“Y” stands for “young children.” Children are fellow human beings with rights, including the right to play. Canada is a signatory to the <a href="https://www.unicef-irc.org/portfolios/crc.html">UN Convention on the Rights of the Child</a> that declares children have the right to play. Play is just that important. </p>
<p>There are times in history that our rights and responsibilities as human beings come into clear focus. This is one of those times. Let children play.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/135751/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christine McLean does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>P.L.A.Y.: An acronym to remind you why letting children play is a responsible and critical way to support children’s development through the COVID-19 pandemic.Christine McLean, Assistant Professor, Child and Youth Studies, Mount Saint Vincent UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1275032019-12-22T20:21:15Z2019-12-22T20:21:15ZRobots, AI and drones: when did toys turn into rocket science?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/307353/original/file-20191217-164437-v0vz9j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=121%2C319%2C7227%2C4583&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Toys are becoming increasingly advanced, but this can be more of a hindrance than a perk.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://pixabay.com/photos/despaired-businessman-business-2261021/">Pixabay</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">CC BY-NC</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>I’m a geek. And as a geek, I love my tech toys. But over time I’ve noticed toys are becoming harder to understand. </p>
<p>Some modern toys resemble advanced devices. There are flying toys, walking toys, and roving toys. A number of these require “configuring” or “connecting”. </p>
<p>The line between toy, gadget and professional device is blurrier than ever, as manufacturers churn out products including <a href="https://www.t3.com/features/best-kids-drones">drones for kids</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Spy-Nanny-Camera-Wi-fi/dp/B07P7BCYZT">plush toys with hidden nanny cams</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/looking-for-a-high-tech-gift-for-a-young-child-think-playgrounds-not-playpens-108325">Looking for a high-tech gift for a young child? Think playgrounds, not playpens</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>With such a variety of sophisticated, and sometimes over-engineered products, it’s clear manufacturers have upped their game. </p>
<p>But why is this happening?</p>
<h2>The price of tech</h2>
<p>Toys these days seem to be designed with two major components in mind. It’s all about the smarts and rapid manufacture.</p>
<p>In modern toys, we see a considerable level of programmed intelligence. This can be used to control the toy’s actions, or have it respond to input to provide real time feedback and interaction – making it appear “smarter”.</p>
<p>This is all made possible by the falling price of technology. </p>
<p>Once upon a time, placing a microcontroller (a single chip microprocessor) inside a toy was simply uneconomical. </p>
<p>These days, they’ll <a href="https://au.rs-online.com/web/c/semiconductors/processors-microcontrollers/microcontrollers/">only set you back a few dollars</a> and allow significant computing power.</p>
<p>Microcontrollers are often WiFi and Bluetooth enabled, too. This allows “connected” toys to access a wide range of internet services, or be controlled by a smartphone.</p>
<p>Another boon for toy manufacturers has been the rise of prototype technologies, including 3D modelling, 3D printing, and low cost CNC (computer numerical control) milling. </p>
<p>These technologies allow the advanced modelling of toys, which can help design them to be “tougher”. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/not-childs-play-the-serious-innovation-behind-toy-making-128211">Not child’s play: The serious innovation behind toy making</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>They also allow manufacturers to move beyond simple (outer) case designs and towards advanced multi-material devices, where the case of the toy forms an active part of the toy’s function. </p>
<p>Examples of this include hand grips (found on console controls and toys including Nerf Blasters), advanced surface textures, and internal structures which support shock absorption to protect internal components, such as wheel suspensions in toy cars.</p>
<h2>Bot helpers and robot dogs</h2>
<p>Many recent advancements in toys are there to appease our admiration of automatons, or self operating machines. </p>
<p>The idea that an inanimate object is transcending its static world, or is “thinking”, is one of the magical elements that prompts us to attach emotions to toys. </p>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/307362/original/file-20191217-164454-10m1ehc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/307362/original/file-20191217-164454-10m1ehc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/307362/original/file-20191217-164454-10m1ehc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/307362/original/file-20191217-164454-10m1ehc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/307362/original/file-20191217-164454-10m1ehc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/307362/original/file-20191217-164454-10m1ehc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/307362/original/file-20191217-164454-10m1ehc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/307362/original/file-20191217-164454-10m1ehc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Anki’s Cozmo (the Vector’s predecessor) is an example of a cloud-connected robotic toy.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/robot-makes-origami-1317221207">shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>And manufacturers know this, with some toys designed specifically to drive emotional attachment. My favourite example of this is roaming robots, such as the artificially intelligent <a href="https://www.anki.com/en-us/vector.html">Anki Vector</a>. </p>
<p>With sensors and internet connectivity, the Vector drives around and interacts with its environment, as well as you. It’s even <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Vector-Robot-Anki-Hangs-Helps/dp/B07G3ZNK4Y">integrated with Amazon Alexa</a>.</p>
<p>Another sophisticated toy is Sony’s Aibo. This robot pet shows how advanced robotics, microelectronics, actuators (which allow movement), sensors, and programming can be used to create a unique toy experience with emotional investment.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/307359/original/file-20191217-164449-1voo3rp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/307359/original/file-20191217-164449-1voo3rp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/307359/original/file-20191217-164449-1voo3rp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/307359/original/file-20191217-164449-1voo3rp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/307359/original/file-20191217-164449-1voo3rp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/307359/original/file-20191217-164449-1voo3rp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/307359/original/file-20191217-164449-1voo3rp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/307359/original/file-20191217-164449-1voo3rp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Sony’s Aibo robot dog is cute, and robotic – it’s a geek’s dream pet.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/ho-chi-minh-city-vietnam-apr-1095006827">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Screens not included</h2>
<p>Toy manufacturers are also leveraging the rise of smartphones and portable computing. </p>
<p>Quadcopters (or drones) and other similar devices often don’t need to include their own display in the remote control, as video can be beamed to an attached device.</p>
<p>Some toys even use smartphones as the only control interface (used to control the toy), usually via an app, saving manufacturers from having to provide what is arguably the most expensive part of the toy.</p>
<p>This means a smartphone becomes an inherent requirement, without which the toy can’t be used. </p>
<p>It would be incredibly disappointing to buy a cool, new toy - only to realise you don’t own the very expensive device required to use it.</p>
<h2>My toys aren’t spying on me, surely?</h2>
<p>While spying may be the last thing you consider when buying a toy, there have been several reports of talking dolls <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/12/20/506208146/this-doll-may-be-recording-what-children-say-privacy-groups-charge">recording in-home conversations</a>. </p>
<p>There are similar concerns with smart-home assistants such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri, which store <a href="https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2018/may/31/ro-khanna/your-amazon-alexa-spying-you/">your voice recordings in the cloud</a>.</p>
<p>These concerns might also be warranted with toys such as the Vector, and Aibo. </p>
<p>In fact, anything that has a microphone, camera or wireless connectivity can be considered a privacy concern.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/just-like-hal-your-voice-assistant-isnt-working-for-you-even-if-it-feels-like-it-is-111177">Just like HAL, your voice assistant isn't working for you even if it feels like it is</a>
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</em>
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<hr>
<h2>Toys of the future</h2>
<p>We’ve established toys are becoming more sophisticated, but does that mean they’re getting better?</p>
<p><a href="https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/gartner-top-10-strategic-technology-trends-for-2020/">Various</a> <a href="https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/technology/technology-trends-2019">reports</a> indicate in 2020, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning will continue to be pervasive in our lives. </p>
<p>This means buying toys could become an even trickier task than it currently is. There are some factors shoppers can consider. </p>
<p>On the top of my list of concerns is the type and number of batteries a toy requires, and how to charge them. </p>
<p>If a device has <a href="https://theconversation.com/nearly-all-your-devices-run-on-lithium-batteries-heres-a-nobel-prizewinner-on-his-part-in-their-invention-and-their-future-126197">in-built lithium batteries</a>, can they be easily replaced? And if the toy is designed for outdoors, <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-batteries-have-started-catching-fire-so-often-68602">can it cope with the heat?</a> Most lithium-ion batteries degrade quickly in hot environments.</p>
<p>And does the device require an additional screen or smartphone? </p>
<p>It’s also worth being wary of what personal details are required to sign-up for a service associated with a toy - and if the toy can still function if its manufacturer should cease to exist, or the company should go bust.</p>
<p>And, as always, if you’re considering an advanced, “connected” toy, make sure to prioritise your security and privacy.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/127503/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Maxwell does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>At Christmas shopping, you may have noticed toys are becoming very complex. They fly, hop, jump and follow you around – some even need to be ‘connected’. But why are we seeing such technical advances?Andrew Maxwell, Senior Lecturer, University of Southern QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1287802019-12-16T16:31:13Z2019-12-16T16:31:13ZIf in doubt, let them out — children have the right to play<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/306852/original/file-20191213-85412-3vsxjg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C543%2C5137%2C3120&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A 2019 UNICEF Canada report shows that only 21 per cent of children aged five to 11 engage in at least 1.5 hours a day of active play and unstructured activities.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>New research from Statistics Canada’s Canadian Health Measures Survey reaffirmed the dramatic decline in Canadian children’s fitness seen over the past 35 years — with <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31617932">only one-third of Canadian school-aged children</a> meeting physical activity guidelines. </p>
<p>Other research from the same survey showed that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27655167">physical activity increases when children are outdoors</a>. Each additional hour spent outdoors per day is associated with seven more minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, 762 more steps and 13 fewer minutes of sedentary time. Canadian children need to get outside to play more, to help them move more — and it is their right.</p>
<p>In late November, the <a href="https://www.unicef.org.uk/what-we-do/un-convention-child-rights/">United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child</a> marked its 30th anniversary. This document enshrines a child’s right to play, saying that:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“States Parties recognize the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child … and shall encourage the provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activity.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>The convention also commits states “to develop preventive health care” and “guidance for parents” which can include the health benefits of active play.</p>
<p>Canada is failing to honour these commitments. The <a href="https://www.participaction.com/en-ca/resources/report-card">2018 ParticipACTION Report Card on the Physical Activity of Children and Youth</a>
gives Canada a “D” grade for “Active Play and Leisure Activities,” while the <a href="https://oneyouth.unicef.ca/sites/default/files/2019-08/2019_Baseline_Report_Canadian_Index_of_Child_and_Youth_Well-being.pdf">2019 UNICEF Canada Baseline Report for the Canadian Index of Child and Youth Well-being</a> shows that only 21 per cent of children aged five to 11 engage in at least 1.5 hours a day of active play and unstructured activities. The recent Statistics Canada research reaffirms these findings.</p>
<h2>Adult fears restrict play</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/outdoor-play/introduction">Playing outdoors is better than indoors</a>, but the availability of digital media coupled with fears concerning stranger danger and play injury, among others, have shifted children indoors. </p>
<p>A recent <a href="https://www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/position-statement-on-active-outdoor-play/">position statement on active outdoor play</a>, endorsed by the <a href="http://www.phn-rsp.ca/aop-position-jae/index-eng.php">Canadian Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health</a>, concluded:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Access to active play in nature and outdoors — with its risks — is essential for healthy child development. We recommend increasing children’s opportunities for self-directed play outdoors in all settings — at home, at school, in child care, the community and nature.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>In an era of <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-school-bans-hard-balls-1.1080366">schoolyard ball bans</a> and debates about <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/tobogganing-winter-sport-or-illegal-activity-1.2891340">safe tobogganing</a>, have we as a society lost the appropriate balance between keeping children healthy and active and protecting them from serious harm? Have we restricted a child’s right to play and their access to the holistic health benefits of active outdoor play?</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/9/9/3134/htm">Adults’ fears</a> about all that can go wrong when children play is a barrier to letting children play outside. In the case of schools and other institutions, these <a href="https://doi.org/10.2304/ciec.2012.13.4.300">fears can result in unnecessary and restrictive policies</a> that limit the amount and type of play available to children. </p>
<h2>One in 14 million risk of abduction</h2>
<p>Yet the injury statistics show that children today are <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.17269/CJPH.107.5315">safer than at any other time in Canada</a>. Car crashes are the leading causes of child death, yet we do not hesitate to put our children in cars to “keep them safe.” </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/306762/original/file-20191213-85391-1g3mdct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/306762/original/file-20191213-85391-1g3mdct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/306762/original/file-20191213-85391-1g3mdct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/306762/original/file-20191213-85391-1g3mdct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/306762/original/file-20191213-85391-1g3mdct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/306762/original/file-20191213-85391-1g3mdct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/306762/original/file-20191213-85391-1g3mdct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Children’s outdoor play supports a myriad of health and developmental outcomes.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/child-abductions-by-strangers-rare-in-canada-1.1335061">risk of abduction by a stranger is so remote</a> that statistics are not regularly released by police agencies. Public Safety Canada estimated the risk at <a href="https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/lbrr/archives/cn33598-eng.pdf">one in 14 million</a> more than 15 years ago.</p>
<p>The likelihood of a child dying from a fall from play equipment or a tree is even lower at one in 70 million, and there are no recorded deaths for children falling from trees in the 17 years of available statistics. Serious injuries are also extremely rare; the <a href="https://activesafe.ca/playground/">likelihood of sustaining a fracture while playing is 0.0004 per cent</a>.</p>
<h2>A duty to provide active outdoor play</h2>
<p>There are also <a href="http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/outdoor-play/according-experts/topic-commentary-why-outdoor-play">unique benefits of being in the outdoors, particularly in nature</a>. When children play the way they want outdoors they move more, sit less and play longer. </p>
<p>They get their hands dirty and are exposed to microbes that help them build immunity. They make their own goals and figure out the steps to attain those goals. They learn, build resilience, develop social skills and learn how to manage risks and keep safe. Their eyes get the exercise needed to combat short-sightedness.</p>
<p>The research is clear: children’s outdoor play supports a myriad of health and developmental outcomes. Despite these benefits and the remoteness of adverse events we restrict our children’s right to play outside. </p>
<p>As 2019, the year of the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child soon comes to a close, we are reminded of our duty to provide, encourage and facilitate active outdoor play for our children’s healthy development. </p>
<p>If in doubt, let them out — it’s their right.</p>
<p>[ <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/ca/newsletters?utm_source=TCCA&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=expertise">Expertise in your inbox. Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter and get a digest of academic takes on today’s news, every day.</a></em> ]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/128780/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mark S. Tremblay receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, The Lawson Foundation, the Public Health Agency of Canada, ParticipACTION and salary support form the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute. He is President of the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance, Chair of Outdoor Play Canada, Chief Scientific Officer of the ParticipACTION and was primary author of the Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mariana Brussoni receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Lawson Foundation and salary support from the BC Children's Hospital Research Institute. She is a board member of the Child & Nature Alliance of Canada and on the leadership group for Outdoor Play Canada.</span></em></p>On the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, let’s remember children’s right to play.Mark S Tremblay, Professor of Pediatrics in the Faculty of Medicine, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of OttawaMariana Brussoni, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Population and Public Health, University of British ColumbiaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1192412019-09-04T19:52:19Z2019-09-04T19:52:19ZKids learn valuable life skills through rough-and-tumble play with their dads<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/290841/original/file-20190904-175682-9s8rj9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=432%2C0%2C3521%2C2323&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Dads tend to engage in more active, physical play activities with their young children.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock/pyrozhenka</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Play is an important way for children to <a href="https://www.health.qld.gov.au/news-alerts/news/why-is-play-important-health-development-children-babies">learn about the world</a> around them.</p>
<p>Through <a href="https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/119/1/182" title="The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds">play</a>, they learn cultural norms, socialisation guidelines and experiment with different ways to interact with their environment.</p>
<p>But play between a father and their child or children can offer a different type of play. It’s often boisterous, physical and competitive, and this all has an equally important role to play in a child’s development.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/let-them-play-kids-need-freedom-from-play-restrictions-to-develop-117586">Let them play! Kids need freedom from play restrictions to develop</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>The rough-and-tumble play</h2>
<p>Dads tend to engage in more active, physical play activities with their young children – rough-and-tumble play.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M8dcqqKiW4E?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">A bit of rough-and-tumble play, looks like fun for dad and the kids!</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Dads often engage in activities such as play wrestling and throwing their child into the air.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5sLGfJ4wJ7g?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Up in the air!</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This type of play is full of excitement and challenge, and if it weren’t for the clear enjoyment of both parties, it might sometimes seem a little aggressive to an outsider.</p>
<p>But this play isn’t just fun. Research has shown it’s also important for healthy child development.</p>
<p>Of course, rough-and-tumble play doesn’t have to be exclusive to dads. Mums can also engage in such play with their kids and, although that’s not been the subject of research to date, there’s no reason the results can’t be just the same.</p>
<h2>Rough-and-tumble play improves social skills</h2>
<p>In one <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03004430.2012.723439" title="Rough and tumble play quality: theoretical foundations for a new measure of father–child interaction">study</a> we looked at the quality of father-child rough-and-tumble play, and children’s emotional and behavioural problems.</p>
<p>High-quality rough-and-tumble play was defined as being warm and sensitive, dominance-sharing and playful in nature.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wq6_c1BMG6w?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Smashing dad!</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We found high-quality play was related to higher levels of what’s termed <a href="http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/prosocial-behaviour">prosocial behaviour</a>. Prosocial behaviour includes things like being considerate of other people’s feelings and sharing well with others.</p>
<p>In other words, high-quality rough-and-tumble play is linked to nice children who are probably going to have an easier time making friends with their peers.</p>
<h2>Rough-and-tumble play improves emotion regulation</h2>
<p>Play that’s active, physical and competitive has also been <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/imhj.21676" title="Measurement of father–child rough‐and‐tumble play and its relations to child behavior">linked</a> to better emotion regulation.</p>
<p>Dads have a tendency to push their kids to the limit, to set goals that are just a bit beyond their reach, and to rough-and-tumble play in a way that gets the kids worked up. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8fhu_WQwNik?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Cushion fight!</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Good rough-and-tumble play is play where the kids don’t just get worked up and potentially frustrated, but where the child learns how to handle these emotions – how to regulate them.</p>
<p>This is important as better emotion regulation allows children to understand and manage their own behaviour and reactions.</p>
<h2>Rough-and-tumble play reduces injury risk</h2>
<p>Now this one might seem a bit counter-intuitive.</p>
<p>In one of the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03004430.2014.1000888" title="Father–child interactions and children's risk of injury">studies</a> we conducted, we looked at the relationship between father-child rough-and-tumble play and childhood injury rates in 46 families.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5PZYbsI-cHs?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Tackling dad, three on one!</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>What we found was the more dads engaged in rough-and-tumble play with their kids, the fewer injuries those kids sustained.</p>
<p>We think the rough-and-tumble play is teaching kids about their limits – how far they can physically push themselves. </p>
<h2>Winners and losers</h2>
<p>One of the important lessons from any rough-and-tumble play, though, is about the balance between winning and losing. It’s important parents don’t dominate. </p>
<p>One of my favourite rough-and-tumble games is the sock wrestle. Each player puts on just one sock. The aim of the game is to get your opponent’s sock off their foot. Give it a try. It’s simple, but a lot of fun! </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xnc5o-8dpRA?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Give me that sock!</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When you’re playing this with your kid (or kids if you want an extra challenge!), make sure you share the winning and losing.</p>
<p>It’s important for your child to both win and lose, as without the losing and the frustration that comes with that, you’re not helping to teach them how to regulate their emotions.</p>
<p>So it seems as though the rough-and-tumble play with kids isn’t just enjoyable, it’s also an important part of a child’s development.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/let-them-play-kids-need-freedom-from-play-restrictions-to-develop-117586">Let them play! Kids need freedom from play restrictions to develop</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>It’s teaching children how to regulate their emotions, how to safely push and extend their limits, how to assess risky situations, and how to get along well with others. </p>
<p>Not only that, but physical activity has multiple health benefits too. Rough-and-tumble play is the sort of thing we should be encouraging parents to do regularly.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/119241/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Emily Freeman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>When dads engage in active play with their kids they actually help them cope better with some of the challenges they’ll face in life. And no reason why mums can’t join in the fun as well.Emily Freeman, Lecturer in Psychology, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1217852019-08-14T21:34:24Z2019-08-14T21:34:24ZA day at the beach: Deep learning for a child<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288069/original/file-20190814-136217-qej3jx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Memories and the experiences gained through play are foundational to one's lifelong learning. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The beach offers a wide open playscape where children are fuelled by curiosity. Whether at the beach or elsewhere outdoors, it helps to take a moment to see the world through the lens of a child who is discovering the world anew, and slow down to be present. </p>
<p>Part of what happens through children’s play is the exhilaration of making choices. These choices, and their consequences, are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187704281403571X">part of the child’s emerging sense of agency and identity</a>.</p>
<p>Children’s inquisitive minds crave opportunities that allow them to become designers, builders, mathematicians and innovators of their world. </p>
<p>Sand sculptures crumble, but both memories and the <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/children1030280">experiences gained through play are foundational to one’s lifelong learning</a>. As a parent or guardian, you can support the deep learning that happens through play throughout your child’s day, and later when you revisit treasured memories. </p>
<h2>Wide-open choices</h2>
<p>The beach landscape is ever-changing, presenting challenges to overcome — and endless choices with which to experiment. Children’s author Douglas Wood beautifully narrates the precious thrill a child experiences in his book <em>No One But You</em>; he explores moments where children come to <a href="http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/HowLearningHappens.pdf">understand themselves and how they are uniquely connected to the world</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287877/original/file-20190813-9431-khdywl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287877/original/file-20190813-9431-khdywl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=696&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287877/original/file-20190813-9431-khdywl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=696&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287877/original/file-20190813-9431-khdywl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=696&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287877/original/file-20190813-9431-khdywl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=875&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287877/original/file-20190813-9431-khdywl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=875&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287877/original/file-20190813-9431-khdywl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=875&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">‘No One But You’ by Douglas Wood.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Candlewick Press)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Design choices stretch beyond the horizon. Pools that children dig in the sand are tubs for dollies, watering holes for dinosaurs or giant castle moats. For children, the goal isn’t always a finished project. A child may be challenging themselves to dig deeper, pile higher or make winding paths for water longer. </p>
<p>Experiencing setbacks is a natural part of life, and when children try again or try something in a new way, they build their perseverance in addition to developing self-regulation. Learning and life are all about overcoming challenges, so understanding <a href="https://www.pearsoncanadaschool.com/index.cfm?locator=PS1vM5">how to regulate oneself is foundational</a> for psychological, physical, behavioural and educational well-being. </p>
<p>Stuart Shanker, professor emeritus at York University in psychology and philosophy, and an expert in self-regulation, summarizes self-regulation as “<a href="http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/shanker.pdf">the way in which people manage stresses in their lives</a>.” </p>
<p>When a child is filling and building, chasing seagulls and otherwise exploring the varied terrain of the beach, they are managing stresses that come into play. Sand castles may falter at an unanticipated time, waves may wash away a sandy message, wind and rain might dampen a plan and bridges may collapse. </p>
<p>The unpredictability of problem-solving lends itself to challenges, successes and failures. </p>
<h2>Multisensory pathways</h2>
<p>When children can run their fastest, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/13502930701321733">managing the varied risks</a> and stressors of the terrain, they stumble, roll and recover, realizing their physical capabilities. They are developing <a href="https://sportforlife.ca/portfolio-view/developing-physical-literacy-a-guide-for-parents-of-children-ages-0-to-12/">physical literacy</a>, building their motivation, confidence, competence and disposition to pursue being active. </p>
<p>The beach is an an organic symphony of sound with the wind whistling, the waves lapping and the birds calling. The open sky, always changing, invites the clouds to be watched. </p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287881/original/file-20190813-9442-qie9c1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287881/original/file-20190813-9442-qie9c1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=354&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287881/original/file-20190813-9442-qie9c1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=354&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287881/original/file-20190813-9442-qie9c1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=354&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287881/original/file-20190813-9442-qie9c1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=444&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287881/original/file-20190813-9442-qie9c1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=444&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287881/original/file-20190813-9442-qie9c1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=444&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">‘Wave’ by Suzy Lee.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Chronicle Books)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Suzy Lee’s wordless book <em>Wave</em> captures the rich drama and choreography of a child’s play day on the beach. </p>
<p>The beach presents a plethora of <a href="https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/cognitive_development_and_sensory_play">sensory choices</a> with which to contend. Through these sensory engagements a child <a href="https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/inbrief-science-of-ecd/">builds multisensory brain pathways</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.2304/ciec.2004.5.1.10">explores ways to live as part of the ecosystem</a>.</p>
<p>Imagination is ignited when children explore the variety of textures, shapes and sizes of nature’s gifts. Pebbles, shells, sand grains and sticks offer multiple possibilities for being <a href="https://activeforlife.com/making-use-of-loose-parts/">manipulated and moved</a>. Mixing in a little water adds even more choice of colour and texture to the malleable medium. </p>
<h2>Supporting learning with talk</h2>
<p>Undoubtedly there will be conversations carried by the breeze. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I did it! I DID IT! It’s flying!!!”</p>
<p>“Hey Wave! You can’t catch me!”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-professor-james-britton-1428143.html">late great British language theorist</a> James Britton discussed how <a href="https://books.google.ca/books/about/Language_and_Learning.html?id=YDgmAQAAIAAJ&redir_esc=y">literacy floats on a sea of talk</a>.</p>
<p>As adults around children, we can listen to and observe children’s rich talk. In a play-based learning environment, educators of young children support learning through talk. For example, the adult can linger on the sidelines, and without interrupting children’s play, when the opportunity opens up, the adult can help name what the child is demonstrating. Or alternately, the adult can invite the child to talk about their ideas. For example: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“You’ve really worked hard to dig that deep hole! I see how you worked together to keep the water out. Your faces sure look proud and you didn’t give up even when it was tricky, you tried again.”</p>
<p>“This looks very exciting! Can you tell me about what you are building?!”</p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287879/original/file-20190813-9419-i4s2a7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287879/original/file-20190813-9419-i4s2a7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=595&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287879/original/file-20190813-9419-i4s2a7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=595&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287879/original/file-20190813-9419-i4s2a7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=595&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287879/original/file-20190813-9419-i4s2a7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=748&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287879/original/file-20190813-9419-i4s2a7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=748&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287879/original/file-20190813-9419-i4s2a7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=748&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">‘Picture the Sky’ by Barbara Reid.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(North Winds Press)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Barbara Reid’s book <em>Picture the Sky</em> illustrates how the sky can evoke observation and conversation, and demonstrates how <a href="https://www.literacytoday.ca/primary/talk/the-role-of-talk-in-learning/">building on children’s talk leads to greater capacities to read the world</a>. </p>
<p>Adults may notice that children are engaging in early mathematics experiences in ways that matter to them. You can help to name the math that comes to the surface in moments that won’t disrupt the flow of children’s play. For example: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“That hole looks even bigger! I wonder how many buckets of water it might take to fill it? Shall we count them together?”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Mucking around with a problem and making possible solution choices can lead to powerful learning.</p>
<h2>Leaving the beach and at home</h2>
<p>Even under the open sky, children are experiencing patterns as time passes and the sun’s position and shadows change.</p>
<p>Inevitably, the beach day must come to an end. This transition can be a stressor because <a href="http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/ResearchBriefs.pdf">the child is leaving something they have been enjoying</a>.</p>
<p>Letting the child know it will be <a href="https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/sep2018/reducing-challenging-behaviors-during-transitions">time to leave</a> - for example, by setting a stopwatch alarm with your child — and talking about what needs to be done to clean up, creates time to prepare for the transition and opportunity to take ownership of a tidying role.</p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287889/original/file-20190813-9419-6z2sac.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287889/original/file-20190813-9419-6z2sac.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287889/original/file-20190813-9419-6z2sac.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287889/original/file-20190813-9419-6z2sac.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287889/original/file-20190813-9419-6z2sac.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=620&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287889/original/file-20190813-9419-6z2sac.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=620&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287889/original/file-20190813-9419-6z2sac.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=620&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">‘Day at the Beach’ by Tom Booth.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Simon and Schuster)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>At home, in the days that follow, you can connect with your child as you revisit their play memories. </p>
<p>Tom Booths’ book <em>Day at the Beach</em> is sure to spark recollections of these shared moments. It explores how children find purpose and challenge themselves beyond what they know, learning along the way. </p>
<p>Making choices, encountering unexpected challenges and social experiences all help to build far more than sand castles! </p>
<p>[ <em>Like what you’ve read? Want more?</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/ca/newsletters?utm_source=TCCA&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=likethis">Sign up for The Conversation’s daily newsletter</a>. ]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/121785/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Through a play day filled with choices at the beach with supportive adults, unexpected challenges and social experiences all help children to build far more than sand castles.Lotje Hives, Research Collaborator, Part-time Instructor, Schulich School of Education, Nipissing UniversityTara-Lynn Scheffel, Associate Professor, Schulich School of Education, Nipissing UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1175862019-05-23T20:00:14Z2019-05-23T20:00:14ZLet them play! Kids need freedom from play restrictions to develop<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276009/original/file-20190523-187147-18qxn70.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Playing in nature improves children's learning, social and emotional skills.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/ZcA4ai3bRSk">MI PHAM/unsplash</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>You may have heard of play. It’s that thing children do – the <a href="https://www.journalofplay.org/issues/8/3/article/2-active-play-exploring-influences-children%E2%80%99s-school-playground-activities">diverse range</a> of unstructured, spontaneous activities and behaviours. </p>
<p>Children play in many ways, including by exploring movements, constructing with equipment, creating games, using imagination and chasing others around a playground. </p>
<p>The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child <a href="http://ipaworld.org/childs-right-to-play/uncrc-article-31/un-convention-on-the-rights-of-the-child-1/">recognises play</a> as every child’s basic right. But play is becoming extinct. Global <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187704281200820">studies</a>, <a href="https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ985541">across</a> <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1468-4446.12369">generations</a>, have confirmed outdoor children’s play has been declining, across all age groups, for decades.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276015/original/file-20190523-187189-17nwk76.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276015/original/file-20190523-187189-17nwk76.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276015/original/file-20190523-187189-17nwk76.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276015/original/file-20190523-187189-17nwk76.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276015/original/file-20190523-187189-17nwk76.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276015/original/file-20190523-187189-17nwk76.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276015/original/file-20190523-187189-17nwk76.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276015/original/file-20190523-187189-17nwk76.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Play is every child’s basic right.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Unstructured play improves <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14729679.2018.1436078">learning</a> and <a href="https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol39/iss1/6/">social</a> and <a href="https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9789811047374">physical</a> development. Providing a variety of play options, improved play access and fewer restrictions can encourage <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-10-4738-1_14">children to engage</a> in physical activity with peers in line with their imaginations. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-suburban-parks-offer-an-antidote-to-helicopter-parenting-115155">Why suburban parks offer an antidote to helicopter parenting</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Play is becoming extinct</h2>
<p>Australian <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335519300518">children’s active or independent</a> travel <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14733285.2015.1082083">has been declining</a> over the past two decades, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214140517306643">consistent with other</a> countries. </p>
<p>There are many reasons researchers are describing child’s play as “<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14733285.2016.1140126">endangered</a>” and “<a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fee.1225">extinct</a>”. These include more use of electronic devices and parents wanting to protect children from strangers, traffic, pollution and bullying. </p>
<p><a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fee.1225">Research also points to</a> a low awareness of the importance of play, more pressure on children to do well in class and more restrictions on play. Hectic schedules, such as parents’ jobs and children’s extra-curricular activities, may also contribute. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276013/original/file-20190523-187189-b6teoq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276013/original/file-20190523-187189-b6teoq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276013/original/file-20190523-187189-b6teoq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=415&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276013/original/file-20190523-187189-b6teoq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=415&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276013/original/file-20190523-187189-b6teoq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=415&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276013/original/file-20190523-187189-b6teoq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=521&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276013/original/file-20190523-187189-b6teoq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=521&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276013/original/file-20190523-187189-b6teoq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=521&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Fewer children are cycling or walking to school.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Parents <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2304/ciec.2004.5.1.10">have reported</a> their children are playing outdoors far less than they used to when they, themselves, were children. Parents are <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14733285.2013.779839">noticing fewer children</a> walking and cycling to school or actively playing after school. </p>
<p>Modern parents are more likely to accompany children, by driving them to school, attending their excursions, supervising them on school grounds, or keeping them indoors altogether.</p>
<p>More than <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.TOTL">half</a> of the world’s population lives in cities. Urban environments are prone to decreasing play opportunities with less open, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042815000580">natural spaces</a> for outdoor play. </p>
<h2>Why this matters</h2>
<p>Children have fewer <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042815000580">opportunities to engage</a> with nature. Providing more <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/13/5/497/htm">contact with nature</a> can enhance children’s creativity, boost their mood, lower stress, improve well-being, promote physical activity and improve attention spans.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/13/5/497/htm">Nature play</a> is also becoming more important as a counterbalance to children’s technological saturation. It is important for children to connect with nature early, as they are then likely to learn to appreciate nature into adulthood.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/children-are-our-future-and-the-planets-heres-how-you-can-teach-them-to-take-care-of-it-113759">Children are our future, and the planet's. Here's how you can teach them to take care of it</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>In primary school, children spend around 30 hours per week at the school and have more than <a href="https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9789811047374">4,000 recess periods</a>. If play opportunities are becoming limited around the home and community, <a href="https://www.journalofplay.org/issues/8/3/article/2-active-play-exploring-influences-children%E2%80%99s-school-playground-activities">schools</a> are the best place for children to meet their play requirements.</p>
<h2>How schools can help</h2>
<p>Research <a href="https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol39/iss1/6/">shows</a> introducing simple objects from around the home (such as milk crates, pipes and wooden planks) into school playgrounds may influence children to work cooperatively. They discover new ideas and solve problems by constructing, observing, designing and learning from each other.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/children-need-to-play-outdoors-but-were-not-letting-them-31295">Children need to play outdoors, but we're not letting them</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Providing more options for children to play outdoors ensures they are <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-10-4738-1_2">intellectually challenged</a> and engaged to find new ways to use such spaces for discovery. If loose play equipment, such as balls, bats and blocks, isn’t available children can still use what nature provides, such as twigs, leaves, rocks, feathers, petals, mud and sand.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14729679.2018.1436078">diversity of outdoor objects</a> and features offers children a variety of shapes, sizes and locations they can use to discover, explore and invent games or designs. It’s better for play objects not to be fixed as this helps with exploration, discovery and creativity. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_pot8EhKUdI?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">How three UK schools have improved playgrounds through natural play materials and landscapes.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Many Australian <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/21594937.2013.807568">school playgrounds are fixed</a> in the same spot. But new and replenishing play opportunities are important for children. For schools and parents to maximise children’s play, play environments <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14729679.2018.1436078">should include</a>:</p>
<ul>
<li>spaces for thinking, so school children can make discoveries, learn and be intellectually engaged</li>
<li>spaces for doing, so school children can take moderate risks, undertake play challenges and extend themselves physically </li>
<li>spaces for being, so school children can be themselves away from the confines of classroom walls or overly restrictive rules, regulations and routines</li>
<li>spaces for feeling, so school children can explore and independently embrace their senses and play decisions with a diversity of colours and features. </li>
</ul>
<p>The <a href="https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/">Australian Curriculum</a> recognises the importance of play and outdoor <a href="https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/resources/curriculum-connections/">learning</a>. Ensuring children can access quality outdoor play <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03004279.2016.1152282">can help align</a> with national curriculum objectives.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/117586/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Brendon Hyndman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Children need to play and discover the world for themselves without too much restriction. Here are some ways we can enhance children’s opportunities to do this.Brendon Hyndman, Senior Lecturer and Course Director (Postgraduate Education courses), Charles Sturt UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1049352018-10-25T19:23:52Z2018-10-25T19:23:52ZBeing in nature is good for learning, here’s how to get kids off screens and outside<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/241583/original/file-20181022-105761-17f49es.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">It takes effort and imagination, but the benefits are many. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Contrary to the belief we Aussies are a nature-loving outdoor nation, <a href="https://treeday.planetark.org/research/">research suggests</a> we’re spending less and less time outdoors. This worrying trend is also becoming increasingly apparent in our <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs41297-018-0054-x">educational settings</a>. </p>
<p>I have devoted the majority of my teaching and academic career to examining the relationship of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P84si5A-s5g">people and nature</a>. In the last few decades, society has become estranged from the natural world, primarily due to <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41297-018-0053-y">urban densification</a> and our <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/18/opinion/sunday/internet-digital-technology-return-to-analog.html">love affair</a> with technological devices (usually located in indoor built environments). </p>
<p>Contact with nature can <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14729679.2015.1035293">enhance creativity</a>, bolster <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4025002/">mood</a>, lower <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4287696/">stress</a>, <a href="http://www.yourbrainonnature.com/">improve mental acuity</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4276610/">well-being and productivity</a>, cultivate <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1618866706000185">social connectedness</a>, and promote <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF03400937">physical activity</a>. It also has myriad educational benefits for teaching and learning.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-a-walk-in-the-woods-really-does-help-your-body-and-your-soul-53227">Why a walk in the woods really does help your body and your soul</a>
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<h2>Outdoors and learning</h2>
<p>The word “kindergarten” originated in the 1840s from the ideologies of German educator <a href="https://www.froebel.com.au/about-froebel/friedrich-froebel/">Friedrich Froebel</a> and literally translates to “children garden”. Propelled by innate curiosity and wonder, a Froebelian approach to education is premised on the understanding students learn best when they undertake imaginative play and curious exploration. </p>
<p>Not only is outdoor play central to children’s <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41297-018-0050-1">enjoyment of childhood</a>, it <a href="https://ro.uow.edu.au/theses/1799/">teaches critical life skills</a> and enhances growth and development. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/112/26/7937">Contemporary research</a> shows <a href="https://theconversation.com/play-based-learning-can-set-your-child-up-for-success-at-school-and-beyond-91393">outdoor play-based</a> learning can also help improve <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/112/26/7937">educational outcomes</a>. A recent study found being outside stimulated learning and improved <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/education/moving-classes-outside-can-improve-test-scores-wellbeing-report-20170715-gxbukl.html">concentration and test scores</a>.</p>
<p>Nature contact also plays a crucial role in brain development with <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/112/26/7937">one recent study</a> finding cognitive development was promoted in association with outdoor green space, particularly with greenness at schools.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/242163/original/file-20181024-71020-o5ht9v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/242163/original/file-20181024-71020-o5ht9v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/242163/original/file-20181024-71020-o5ht9v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=410&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/242163/original/file-20181024-71020-o5ht9v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=410&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/242163/original/file-20181024-71020-o5ht9v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=410&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/242163/original/file-20181024-71020-o5ht9v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=516&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/242163/original/file-20181024-71020-o5ht9v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=516&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/242163/original/file-20181024-71020-o5ht9v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=516&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Contact with nature boosts brain development.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.edu.au</span></span>
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<p>Autonomy and freedom in the outdoors is both liberating and empowering for kids. Burning off excess energy outdoors makes children <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4256702/">calmer</a> and fosters <a href="https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/__data/assets/file/0003/1016274/REPORT-Wild_Nature_Play_Researching_OOSH_in_the_Bush_Final_Report.pdf">pro-social behaviours</a>.</p>
<p>Teaching and learning in natural environments encourages <a href="https://lessonsfromnearfar.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/adventurous-learning-uncertainty-agency-authenticity-and-mastery.pdf">self-mastery</a> through <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14927713.2010.542888">risk taking</a>, physical fitness, <a href="http://www.understandingboys.com.au/how-to-build-true-resilience-in-your-son/">resilience</a>, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01565/full">self-regulation</a>, and <a href="https://js.sagamorepub.com/jorel/article/view/8192">student-centred discovery</a>. Imagination is also enhanced by free, unstructured play.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/play-based-learning-can-set-your-child-up-for-success-at-school-and-beyond-91393">Play-based learning can set your child up for success at school and beyond</a>
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<h2>How to get kids outdoors more</h2>
<p>Children need <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF03400925">outdoor play</a>, but we’re <a href="https://theconversation.com/children-need-to-play-outdoors-but-were-not-letting-them-31295">not giving them enough opportunity</a>. Countries such as Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway spend up to half the school day outdoors (rain, hail or shine) exploring the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41297-018-0055-9">real-world application</a> of their classroom learning. Here’s what parents and teachers can do to get kids outside more.</p>
<h3>Taking the classroom outside</h3>
<p>Children learn better when they can experience learning, rather than hearing it read from a text book. A study in Chicago used brain scans to show students who took a <a href="https://news.uchicago.edu/story/learning-doing-helps-students-perform-better-science">hands-on approach to learning</a> had experienced an activation in their sensory and motor-related parts of the brain. Later, their recall of concepts and information was shown to have greater clarity and accuracy.</p>
<p>Practical lessons outside will stick better in young brains than learning theory from a book. This may be why in 2017, the Australian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (ACARA) included outdoor learning in the national curriculum. </p>
<p><a href="https://rdcu.be/5Rgh">Options for teachers</a> include taking the class outside to write poetry about nature, measuring the height of trees for maths classes, or de-stressing using mindfulness and breathing techniques while sitting quietly in the shade of a tree. </p>
<p>An upcoming initiative <a href="https://outdoorclassroomday.com.au/">Outdoor Classroom Day</a> is happening in schools across Australia on November 1. This is a day where teachers are encouraged to take their classes outside. Alternatively, parents can make a special effort to take their child to the local park, river or beach.</p>
<h3>Less time on screens</h3>
<p>Conversations with parents and teachers show they’re increasingly concerned about <a href="https://learning21c.wordpress.com/2015/06/02/were-not-talking-to-our-kids-are-we-causing-speech-delay/">technology’s broader impact on their children</a>, in both dramatic and subtle ways.</p>
<p>In many ways our <a href="https://www.kidspot.com.au/school/secondary/study-skills/how-to-stop-your-child-becoming-a-digital-zombie/news-story/7cba8c0bd81b3dc9cf9acfaa7d57e616">hunger for technology</a> has overridden our desire for direct human interaction. Screens compete directly with authentic channels of communication such as face-to-face interaction. To combat this, parents can assign one hour on and one hour off screens.</p>
<p>Parents are role models and so we also need to monitor our own time on screens and spend quality time with children detached from our digital devices.</p>
<p>The sad reality is technology can become a pseudo-parenting device, a form of pacifier to keep the kids busy. Instead, we can encourage our kids to engage in simple, unstructured play experiences.</p>
<p>These could include creating an outdoor scavenger hunt where they collect items from nature, building forts or dens incorporating inexpensive materials such as branches and old sheets or blankets, climbing trees, or laying on the grass and looking upwards into the sky to watch the cloud formations.</p>
<p>Other methods include making mud pies or sandcastles at the beach or in a sandbox; encouraging the collection of feathers, petals, leaves, stones, driftwood, twigs or sticks to make creative artworks on large sheets of paper; planting a garden with vegetable seedlings or flowers with your child (let them decide what will be planted); putting on a jacket and gumboots when it rains and jump in puddles together; or making an outdoor swing or billycart. </p>
<p>Nature offers a never-ending playground of possibilities with all the resources and facilities needed. If stuck, search on the web for wild play or nature play groups nearby as they are growing in popularity and number. But most importantly, reinforce the message that getting wet, having dirt stains on their clothes and getting their hair messy is good and adds to the fun.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/104935/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tonia Gray is affiliated with 202020 Vision as an advocate for connecting teaching and learning in the outdoors</span></em></p>Being outside helps kids learn. Here are some ways to get them to spend more time in nature.Tonia Gray, Associate Professor, Centre for Educational Research, Western Sydney UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.