Playing outdoors was one of the most enjoyable aspects of my childhood. But as I grew up, things changed. School coursework became more intensive and the carefree vibe was soon replaced by the increasing emphasis on finishing off homework, solving worksheets and preparing for class tests. Somewhere, in the midst of all this, playtime all but vanished. I was far too young to realize the implications of not playing enough then. But when I began working on the Playworld account in October of last year, the realization of what I had missed out on dawned on me.
A long
time RoseComm client, Playworld is a commercial playground equipment manufacturer with a belief that the world needs play. In working to raise the company’s profile and its effort to #SavePlay, I spend a lot of time researching the importance of outdoor play. The findings are eye-opening. Did you know that play is extremely important for healthy brain development? It is through play that children at a very early age engage with the world around them. Think about it – social interaction, hand-eye coordination, risk assessment and management, decision making – these are critical skills. But how does one acquire these skills? I’ll give you a hint; it’s not through worksheets and books but rather through play.
This post brings back memories from May 2015, when I helped create a timetable for my 8-year-old niece. The image of that timetable is etched in my mind. Every day began as early as 7 am and was crammed with school, homework, worksheets, English grammar classes, abacus classes and swimming lessons. There was almost no time for the kid to let loose and soak in the joy of unstructured outdoor play. The result? An overburdened child.
The mistake that I made in creating that strenuous timetable is an error most adults make. There’s a general belief that the more activities a child is pushed into, the better his or her overall development will be. But what most of us fail to realize is that activities are not substitutes for playtime. The skills and experiences gained through play last a lifetime. If I hadn’t stopped playing all those years ago, I’d probably have better hand-eye coordination skills and wouldn’t struggle as much with tennis or any other physical sport for that matter.
But it’s never too late to start playing. In fact, I often wonder why organizations don’t introduce the concept of play at work. I, for one, would be thrilled if that were to happen. PR can be very stressful at times and I’m sure that an hour of play or recreation on a “crazy” weekday would do me a world of good. I also think it might have a positive impact on the quality of work.
The way I look at play and learning has changed drastically over the course of a year. I tell everyone about the benefits of play and encourage friends and cousins with kids to find daycares that maximize outdoor play irrespective of weather. I don’t have kids of my own but when I do, I’m going to enroll them in a Forest Kindergarten, a type of kindergarten where pre-school education takes place almost exclusively outdoors.
Lastly, the disturbing timetable, that I so proudly created, is going to be discarded!
Shweta, I liked your article. I am lucky as my childhood was spent by playing outdoor games. We did not realize the impact it had on our minds at that time. But after reading your article, I feel that what you have said is true. Thanks and all the best to you