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Read MoreFree Time: The Lost Extra-Curricular Activity
“Go play outside and don't come home until dinner.” Such was the description of my daily extracurriculars as laid out by my mother.
My mother was an incredibly loving and devoted parent. Like other parents of the time, she felt comfortable leaving her three children to their own devices while taking care of her responsibilities at home. To this day I remember those hours between school and dinner – creating fantasy worlds with other children in the park and devising elaborate pranks – as a special time.
Today, I see parents rushing into RSM's lobby, bringing their children from one activity to another. Every hour of our children's time is mapped and planned, in order to help our children become well-rounded humans. And I get it! I also want my granddaughter to speak my native language (Russian classes), to be proficient musically (piano classes), and even comfortable on the dance floor (dance classes). Nobody wants their children to miss out on opportunities.
In pursuit of this goal, unstructured time can be lost. The time for a child to learn who they are and to develop their personality. To daydream, to imagine entire worlds around themselves, to learn the art of introspection. Interacting and playing with other children in an unstructured format enables children to deal with reality. It is in these invaluable environments where children have the chance to learn social skills and gain sensitivity to facial expressions and cues.
A study by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that free play for children is essential and expressed concern at the reduced time allotted for it in today’s society:
“As they master their world, [free] play helps children develop new competencies that lead to enhanced confidence and the resiliency they will need to face future challenges. Undirected play allows children to learn how to work in groups, to share, to negotiate, to resolve conflicts, and to learn self-advocacy skills. When play is allowed to be child driven, children practice decision-making skills, move at their own pace, discover their own areas of interest, and ultimately engage fully in the passions they wish to pursue.”
The thing to remember: balance. Children should have a time set aside for both free play and activities. Regular activities allow children to learn new things, meet new people, and discover subjects that they otherwise would not be exposed to. Free play also gives children the opportunity to learn how to entertain themselves and socialize with peers. Now that school is out, the summer is a great chance to reflect and ensure our children's schedules are balanced in this way.
We as parents relish vacation days where we control our own time and activities. Why deprive our children of this gift of free time?
Written by Inessa Rifkin, Founder of the Russian School of Mathematics
This blog was originally published in 2015 and has since been updated.
