Let the children play

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC, 1989) sets out the civil, political, economic, cultural, and health rights of children. It is the most ratified human rights treaty in history with 196 countries showing commitment to protecting the fundamental guarantees of childhood. Along with various factors necessary for the safety, security, and well-being of the child, UNCRC recognises children's right to play and its importance in their development. Article 31 recognises the ‘right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities’. The commitment towards the right to play was further reinforced in 2013 when a detailed explanation of the measures to ensure implementation of Article 31 was provided in General Comment No. 17.

It is the most ratified human rights treaty in history with 196 countries showing commitment to protecting the fundamental guarantees of childhood.

The international recognition of the right to play comes as a consequence of the growing literature on the importance of play in child development. What, then, is play? In Voce’s (2015) words, ‘optimum conditions for playing are those which support and respond to children's own initiative, provide them with resources and space to manipulate and explore, and give them permission to be spontaneous and expressive’. Play is a self-motivator, is spontaneous, and is of interest to the child. That is not to say that play is an exclusively child-led activity. Parents and caregivers joining children in child-driven play has innumerable relationship and bonding benefits. In this brief, we explore the benefits of play and the barriers to exercising this fundamental right.

Benefits of play time

Child-driven play helps in developing strong social relationships and managing interpersonal relationships and conflict. Studies of animal play and brain sciences suggest that the benefits of play are almost instantaneously visible, helping children positively interact with their physical and social environments. Play without adult intervention helps children learn how to work in groups and develop leadership skills—negotiating and deciding what to play, when to play, and how to play helps cultivate social skills. Today, child obesity has become a major concern. As the World Health Organisation states “The rapid rise in childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century.” Child-driven play in combination with healthy food choices might be our strongest protection against this issue. Play provides physical exercise that develops endurance, helps control of body movements, and develops perceptual-motor balance. In fact, research shows playing during recess has more physical benefits than a formal structured physical education class.

Studies of animal play and brain sciences suggest that the benefits of play are almost instantaneously visible, helping children positively interact with their physical and social environments.

Social, emotional, and mental benefits of free time and peer interaction elevate children’s ability to learn and help enhance the overall educational experience. Studies have shown a direct link between playtime and academic achievement. Most of this evidence is from research on recess time in school. It has been observed that peer interaction in combination with physical activity improves reading, writing, spelling, mathematics, and oral skills. In addition to positive cognitive implications, peer interaction during break time improves classroom behaviour as children learn to self-regulate. Play makes you happy. Social play serves a variety of developmental purposes, which has been shown to improve psychological well-being. Expressing positive emotions also builds enduring resources. Conversely, the absence of play has been linked with a rise in depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues amongst children. An American anthropological study has shown causal links between the rise in psychopathology and a decline in free play amongst American children. The value of play diminishes when it is controlled by adults. For instance, after-school enrichment classes have very different advantages from those derived from child-led play. There is some research support for organised activities and their developmental benefits.

Social play serves a variety of developmental purposes, which has been shown to improve psychological well-being.

It is ironic that the appreciation and understanding of child’s play comes at a time when children’s access to free play is in crisis. This right is challenged by various factors such as poverty, child labour, and war. However, there is a decline in free time and play even where resources are not a constraint. This decline cannot be attributed to any single variable; it is a combination of various socio-ecological factors that create barriers.

Bronfenbrenners’s social-ecological model

Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory  The first layer (microsystem) of this model surrounding the child comprises pressures from their immediate environment—increased academic pressure, long school hours, after-school activities, and increased screen time. The race for academic achievement begins very early on; for instance, preschool children (2–3-year-olds) are expected to know different categories of fruits and vegetables for a rigorous school admission process. This often results in parents enrolling kids in tuition and special classes even before starting school. On average, school hours over the years have increased, leaving the child with very little unstructured time. Pressures are not just academic; there seems to be a checklist that must be ticked that at least includes sport, music, a foreign language, a dance form or theatre. After-school activities, both academic and non-academic, are on the rise, with virtually no time for anything beyond adult-directed programmes. Often, parents state, ‘If they don’t get the exposure now there will have no time for it later’. In preparation for a busy adulthood, children are forced into a hurried childhood. And then there is overexposure to technology and the rising levels of screen time. Probably one of the biggest casualties of such a lifestyle is parent-child quality time.

The race for academic achievement begins very early on; for instance, preschool children (2–3-year-olds) are expected to know different categories of fruits and vegetables for a rigorous school admission process.

Parenting is not done in a vacuum. The next layer (mesosystem) of the model comprises various factors that interact with each other in the decisions parents make or can make. Aspects such as the commercialisation of play spaces, and increased distances between home and school and home and playground have financial and time ramifications. The third layer (exosystem) consists of other indirect influences on the child’s ability to play freely, for instance, smartly marketed messaging sent to parents about exposing the child to every opportunity and the indispensability of adult-led enrichment programmes to make their child a well-rounded human being. The final layer (macrosystem) comprises political, social, and cultural forces. Eroding social capital and rising levels of crime affect the independent movement of children, thus, reducing their access to public spaces. This constrains the child’s ability to play freely. A safe physical and social environment could mean parents can let their children explore and engage stress-free.

Conclusion 

Shrinking free time and consequently a reduction in play time can have potentially deleterious consequences. We need to ensure a balance between teaching and letting them learn through exploration and creativity. The protection of the fundamental rights of the child is not the parents’ responsibility alone. Resurrecting free time and playtime requires school cooperation, policy, and cultural support.

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Anub Mannaan is an educationist and a consultant. She has previously worked as an independent consultant in the field of Human Rights and Child Rights in India.

• Development
• Skilling
• India
• CHILD RIGHTS
• CHILDREN PLAY
• FREE PLAY DECLINE
• PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
• SCHOOL COOPERATION
• SOCIAL SKILLS
• UNCRC

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