Children's time to play: a literature review - Playday

Playday 2009 Make time! Children’s time to play: a literature review
15. Conclusion
From the evidence we can conclude that children’s play is vital for their social
and physical development and is a way they wish to spend their free time.
Children associate free time with freedom, independence and choice;
however, play of this nature is often limited. Ginsberg highlights that the
combination of busy lifestyles and academic commitments has impinged on
children’s free time, affecting their cognitive, physical, social and emotional
stability. Play that is directed by adults rather than by children themselves
does not require the same level of skills, initiative and decision-making, and
so does not offer the same learning experience. That is not to say that adults
cannot have a vital role in play. Their involvement in child-centred play can
offer a unique bonding opportunity that allows adults to see the world through
the eyes of a child (Ginsburg 2006). As Ginsberg notes, we must
acknowledge the merits of academia in children’s lives and understand the
health benefits of organised activities, but a balance must be stuck between
this and more informal and unstructured play, where children are free to enjoy
themselves and do as they wish without adult control.
Josie Gleave
Play England
June 2009
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