Let the children play!

Allowing children to play helps in their personal development. Among other things their interpersonal skills will be sharpened, and their creativity widened. Unfortunately many parents associate academic success with potential wealth and fame. In order to achieve this they stress on academic achievement at an early stage of their children's life. Play become secondary, and some parents even prohibit their children from playing. The result csn be seen now, at least that is the case in my country. There are students who got straight As but are unable to communicate properly, unable to think out of the box, low creativity level, and have a rather narrow vision on many issues.

I feel kids need to play outside. My DIL was raised to stay clean and not get dirty. But she allows her children to play outside and they can get dirty. Her mother does get the kids some beautiful clothes, but i get play clothes. We compliment each other and the grandchildren have the best of both worlds. I love it and so do the kids.

Hello my friend, when I was a child I remember playing out in the fields with my friends, we'd have so much fun, playing in the haystacks, hide and seek in the woods and catching frogspawn, sadly in today's violent, dangerous society we cannot let children out of our sights, no longer can we let them play outside or in the park alone and certainly NOT in woods, too many dangers, so as a dire consequence we keep them indoors if we haven't got gardens or backyards and they play on their playstations, equally technology is to blame as well as vile scum who prey on children. It's a sad society we live in, as we lead busy lives now and families have indeed changed it's not always easy to spend the time we like with our children so they are more or less left to their own devices and that means in front of the tv or playstation etc. I miss those times greatly, children miss out terribly. Sad to say we will never get those times back, children are curious and want to have fun but when you place limits on them it's understandable they get bored quickly and find out an early age that the world is not a safe place to be in.

There are many places where parents do not feel safe to let their children play. My kids were always reading it seems. However, they did it outdoors a lot. They did play, but I do not know if it was as much as I did. It is great when they want to be outdoors and do things and take walks, etc. We went to parks a lot.

Hi, ellie333. I know how you feel to see your son enjoying himself. I love seeing my kids being able to play too. They love going to the park playing on the playground equipment. They really do. They love watching cartoons. And they love laughing at them too. I don't think that my kids get to play as much because of the situation with our apartment. We have no carpet and I don't want any noise to radiate downstairs. It is very hard. I hope that we can move out by July. I want to be out of here before my kids go to back to school. Well at least for my son, that is. It is very hard for them to enjoy themselves like children, because of our disturbed neighbor. With us moving out and into a house/trailer they can play like kids.

When I was younger I used to play outside with my friends for hours on end though I was lucky that I lived right next to a small play area. Even so my mum worried and I think that as time goes on, we hear more and more in the news about children going missing or getting hurt that parents are too scared to allow their children out on their own a lot. I dont think the dangers are more prominant now oposed to years ago though they are hitting the news with more force making people scared. I am a mum of a two year old so havent reached the point of age where she will want to go out on her own though we try to go out as much as possible even if it is simply to have a small walk. My daughter adores being outside so I can quite see her wanting to go and play out with friends when she is older and it does worry me though by setting some boundaries in which I hope she will keep to then I will not stop her from playing outside with friends - afterall its part of growing up and I loved that part when I was young. I would prefer to wrap her in cotton woll her whole life though that is no life for a child.

hi ellie I was just thinking of the children that lived in the old complex we used to live in and I only saw a few kids actually playing to gether outside. yet there were one hundred families there.so a lot of kids were inside on computer games or watching tv and thats sad. kids need to play with other children and get o utside exercise and some fresh air.So its great that your six year old has friends to play outside with and interact and also get great exercise. It is no wonder we have a lot of kids who are really overweight as they are not outdoors playing and breathing fresh air like they should be.

i agree that there are less kids who plays outside. the reason? there are more parents, mother and father both works and the children are left with grandparents that can easily watch an eye when they are indoors. more kids are on the internet or playing video games rather than playing outside. our son is four years old and we allow him to play outside or sometimes in a playground. its a good way to exercise too.

Hi ellie! I am so happy to hear that your son does get outside to play! Now that the weather has gotten warmer here the kids are playing outside too! They have bikes and scooters and seem happy! There is a swing set in the backs of some of the buildings (there's one in back of mine) and I'm glad that the kids are getting "air" at least! We didn't have all those choices when we were young because it was watch tv or go outside and play because your parents didn't want you in the house! That was long before computers and Wii!

I think that children still do play but not enough time is spent running around outside being a kid! My daughter is fine playing outdoors if she has a friend over otherwise she watches DVDs, plays her DS or plays in her playroom. I didn’t have the electronic gadgets she has so a sedentary game was never an option for me when I was a child! I think another reason for fewer children outside these days is that parents are more concerned with safety, which is a sign of the times, I guess...

I think children had so many indoor games nowadays like the play station games, and games on the Internet and similar games that they hardly play outside with others like we used to do when we were there ages.

Today is the children's day ! Happy children's day to every one.HaHa! I remember that in my childhood, i always played with my friends in the forest as there were many interesting things in the forest,such as the lovely animals, the fruit, and we can do barbeque in the forest. Expect this , we usually play hiden-search games.At that time , we hardly stayed at home except the dinner time and sleep time. But time goes fast, now i am in my thirties.

Hi ellie! im pleased to read yours. im babysitting my sister's children and im happy to let and see the children out playing the outdoor games. im not used on letting them play outside unless they are accompanied by their siblings. I feel worry sometimes about their own safety but i will make sure i will keep an eye on them.Playing outside is good for their physical and mental development.:)

It is fun that children enjoy the outdoors. I think, most children now are happy just by playing computer games and play station that sometimes, playing with other kids are left out of their consciousness. It is better if the parents encourage them to play with other kids outside their house.

There are many places where parents do not feel safe to let their children play. My kids were always reading it seems. However, they did it outdoors a lot. They did play, but I do not know if it was as much as I did. It is great when they want to be outdoors and do things and take walks, etc. We went to parks a lot.

Your son is living a normaland happy life My son is a lot older, he's 14, but the same principle applies - he will spend a little time on his x box talking to his friends when he wakes up, but when the weather is like this he is up and out. It is now 1.20 UK time , so far I have been with him on the canal as he was on his kayak making a little trip to the village, he has had a game of football with his mates and he has now gone of after begging money off soft mum with his mates on his bike to the village, where he'll get a little lunch, play some football with the local kids, do a little 'crabbing 'in the dock and return home tonight anytime up to 9.00pm. This is the best sort of life for any child!!

My daughter is very naughty at home.Many old persons said:"The children playing is better than don't playing.Once the children don't playing outside,it seems that the children is sick or other problems."So it is happy to see the children play outside.