Technology- an incredible, constantly-advancing achievement- has greatly impacted our world by creating an efficient and easier way to do work and , as a result, increased the lethargicness of our people. However, recess is one aspect that hasn't altered, and remains a major source of fitness that monitors obesity rates through exercise. Additionally, it increases a child’s cognitive growth. Unstructured recess bestows upon children the ability of learning important life skills such as collaboration, negotiation and resolution of conflicts, which will be advantageous in the future. However, the design of unstructured play is being threatened with a new proposal due to the increasing amount of worried parents. This new proposal is known as …show more content…
Despite the many benefits of structured recess, it is simply unnecessary. Some of assets of structurity recess include “[allowing] older elementary children [to] benefit from game instruction, ” “more children can actively participate in regular activity and the “[development of ] interpersonal skills” (Text 1, lines 17-22). However, structured recess is viewed as a complication as it “threatens students’ instruction in and acquisition of new motor skills, exploration of sports and rules, and a concept of lifelong physical fitness” (Text 1, lines 29-30). Motor skills are an essential part of a young child’s life as they begin to use their muscles to write, eat and dress themself. This provides a substantial amount of evidence at the imperfections of structured recess. Perhaps, one of the most important moments in a child’s life is exploration. There is nothing as beautiful as watching a young child explore and finding new things about the world. Moreover, structured recess is disposable when there is a presence of “attractive, safe playground equipment to stimulate free play” (Text 1, lines 32-33). This leaves the question, ‘If structured play is so inessential, is there really a need for
There is now an entrance of structured recess that is based on games and activities that are structured. When these are done by a trained adult this kind of recess does have benefits, but doesn't quite give the same support that recess would in s...
The recess project has become a well renowned program. The recess project's goal is to advocate structured play among today’s children. “Recess leaders help the older children on the playground become leaders themselves, guiding younger children as they learn how to juggle or make crafts or do Zumba, the dance like exercise regimen set to fast-paced music”(Paul Par 5) . This is important because recess leaders from the recess project felt the need to help the older children on the playground. Recess leaders proved that with guidance and structure the older children gain the responsibility to guide the younger children in complex activities. Structured play drives strategy and following directions because with structured play children are given a specific set of guidelines and rules. After receiving rules and guidelines it is then up to the child to go from there and play(Nelson Par 1). There are numerous activities involved with structured play. The varying activities teach children how to follow and understand directions. This also helps children complete tasks. Various structured activities include board games, puzzles, and arts and crafts(Nelson Par 3). Anyone who has ever dealt with a child or children know things may become very messy, what if there was a way children can be taught life skills such as cleaning? In fact that is what structured play can do. As children are
Early childhood teachers often say that “play is a child’s work” while some parents ask ‘Did my child just play all day?’” (Rice 1). Many people do not realise how important play is and what role it plays in the development of their children. Teachers provide opportunities for children to have spontaneous, unstructured child-initiated play experiences by providing stimulating materials to “enhance and entice children into play” (Rice 2). These materials include loose parts and are open-ended and spark creativity by providing children opportunities to think, plan, and carry out their play (Rice 2). Limited learning may take place if teachers do not make play easier and maximize the benefits (Rice 2). Teacher support is also a necessary component
The authors purpose of this paper can be defined directly from the title, Can a playground be Too Safe? clearly he belives that the playground today can actually be more harmful then those of the past both pertaining to physical and mental development. He attacks the idea that a safer playground can actually be very detrimental to the youth of today. stating leaving children with anxieties and fears that are ultimately worse than a broken bone. The question then presents itself, to what audience is the author
Let’s pause for a second, let’s take a look what nature has for us. It is beautiful and yet harmless. Kids’ don’t spend the sufficient time to intake the benefits of nature. Louv says, “Playtime, especially unstructured imaginative, exploratory play is increasingly recognized as an essential component of wholesome child development” (48). He is saying to let our kids free and explore on their own. It is what brings fun to their lives. Knowing what comes next it’s pretty boring. Imagination brings excitement and knowledge to the human kind.
In her Huffington Post blog article titled Here’s One Way to Wreck a Child’s Education: Take Away Recess, Haley Krischer takes an emboldened stand against the practice of eliminating recess; which is often done as a punishment or to make more time for instructional learning. I stand in agreement with Krischer. I do not agree with schools taking away recess for any reason with the exception of dangerous weather or environmental circumstances. Yet, research indicates how common the 86-ing of recess is occurring in schools. A study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (2010) revealed 77% of school Principals reported taking away recess as a punishment, and 81.5% of schools allow students to be excluded from recess. Krischer begins the article by introducing her 9 year old son and his affinity for recess: “the only subject he will talk about”. She gives examples of how recess benefits her son such as other students who help him troubleshoot technology issues and challenging him to improve his sports skills. Indeed, the unstructured playtime allows children to explore their environment and develop new ideas and understandings of it and those within it (American Pediatric Association, 2013). Kischer also expressed that children need active play to combat restlessness and that this is especially important for children who may suffer from ADHD, noting that taking away recess as a punishment for misbehavior may be counterproductive and result in increased behavioral problems. A longitudinal study that followed over 10,000 students between the ages of 8 and 9 concluded that student recess of at least 15 minutes resulted in better behavior as rated by teachers (Samuels, 2009).
Playgrounds, such as the one on the campus of Washington Elementary, often limit the development of one’s imaginative skills and as a result can negatively impact the way a child thinks about certain situations. Playgrounds do not contribute to a child’s imagination which can affect their mental
28 Nov. 2011. Jarret. Olga S. “Recess in Elementary School: What Does the Research Say?” EricDigests.org.
Gopink displayed that the most effective way to foster and learn about the physical world is by playing with everyday objects. For instance, the old standbys, cardboard, sand, and mixing bowls. Whereas, dolls costumes, and toy dishes reinforce their pretend play and makes them learn about social world. According to Gopnik, the most important thing is when children were surrounded by relatives and genuine teachers who pay attention to children’s interest and help them to play. He revealed that outdoor play should not be neglected. It is not a place to practice physical exercise. He added “children need opportunities to explore places to investigate, stairs to climb and trees to hide behind,” I learned that children have constant desire to discover and explore new things that existed in nature. I learned through Gopnik’s final message for preschool teachers and as he stated “Preschool from evolutionary point of view, re extended period of immaturity in the human life span.” However, children’s exploration and play broadens their awareness and turns them into adults who are flexible and sophisticated thinkers from Gopnik’s point of
An Article by Dr. Leong and Dr. Bodrova (2016) stated that play is beneficial to children’s learning especially when it reaches a certain degree of complexity. When they engage in play activities most of their early years, they learn to delay gratification and to prioritize their goals and actions. They also learn to consider the perspectives and needs of other people and to represent things significantly to regulate their behavior and actions in a cautious, intentional way.
Children have a natural inclination to play, alongside a natural instinct to learn and to be curious and inventive, which are characteristics of the human race in general. This quote taken from Janet Moyles is a good starting point for this essay. It is well known that children love to play. If a child were to be left to his/her own devices they would happily play and create new worlds anywhere they were left. It has been well documented and researched that children learn excellently through play. However they are not always given the opportunity to do so, instead being told to, ‘finish your work and then you can go play’. Obviously this is not always the case, but the fact that it is a common practice shows that we do not all fully appreciate the importance of play to children’s learning. This essay will attempt to show how children learn through play, making reference to current theory and practice. I will also give examples from my own first-hand experience of how children learn and develop as people through play.
Children’s unstructured outdoor free-play (or active free-play) represents an opportunity for children to be active and has the potential to make an important contribution to children’s overall physical activity levels (Veitch, Salmon, & Ball, 2010). A child’s gross motor development is necessary for his or her overall wellbeing, i.e. physical, mental, and emotional state. Regular physical activity is associated with improved health status, primary and secondary prevention of chronic diseases, reduced risk of premature death, improved cognitive functioning, academic achievement, and lower depression. The more physical activity, the greater the health benefits (Lee, Tamminen, Clark, Slater, Spence, & Holt, 2015). Offering a variety of play structures and activities on the playground or indoor gym, such as a sand box, slide, swing, and bikes, will promote the same learning goals sought after in classroom activities.
However, despite the unquestionable link to a brighter future for the children who engage in it, less and less time is being allotted for play in the classrooms. As standards for what children are expected to know at younger and younger ages continues to rise along with the demand for standardized testing from the state, time for play is being sacrificed. Adults are choosing to get rid of time for unstructured play and recess to make time for this new testing interfering with the time allotted for children to learn independently through play. Cutting play and recess is a mistake, and here is why: “recess gives students time for social interactions: for students must be able to initiate, negotiate, cooperate, share, and build relationships with one another--skills that are highly valued in the adult world but that often are quite different from work or play under adult supervision and control” (Chang). Those skills learned through play, are often not the sole purpose of a classroom lesson and could potentially be the only place they learn those needed skills. Play is an affective measurement in the classroom as well as outside of the classroom and children can learn so much from it if only given the chance
Thinking back on my childhood, I first remember all the times I played outside in my backyard. I would pretend to dig up dinosaur bones or create imaginary realms of ancient lands; there I would perform diplomatic services for the people in need. I was usually alone, and those are some of my fondest memories. When I first decided to become a teacher and thought about what is important to my philosophy on how children learn, I immediately knew I was a strong believer in play. Although, many decision makers such as legislators and school district leaders believe in more academic types of learning styles, my paper will discuss why play is so powerful and important to children.
The Play Strategy for Scotland is a national initiative that is very much relevant to my topic. The main aim is to create the best place for children to grow up in Scotland. It also aims to achieve making children able to play safely in their environment. The initiative links to my topic as it identifies the importance of play being a life-enhancing daily experience and its contribution to a happy, healthy childhood. The Play Strategy also protects children’s ability to play. (The Scottish Government, 2013)