Cooperative Extension Service
Meade County
1041 Old Ekron Road
Brandenburg, KY 40108
(270) 422-4958
Fax: (270) 422-3773
meade.ca.uky.edu
[email protected]
May 2017
Children and Free Play
Play is so important to optimal child development that it has been recognized by
the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights as a right of every
child. Play permits children to feed their creativity while developing
a sense of imagination, dexterity and physical, cognitive and
emotional growth. Today, children of all ages are extremely scheduled with
activities and are exposed to more technology than ever. While some scheduled
children are flourishing, some are showing signs of programmed life pressures
resembling anxiety and stress disorders. Highly scheduled children have less time
for free, child-driven, creative play. Free play is defined as “freely chosen,
personally directed and intrinsically motived, or performed for no
external goal or reward”. This play offers benefits that may protect against
the effects of pressure and stress in children. Because free play is chosen by the
child they get to choose when, how and what to play. This is not always in set
programming or structured physical activity. By being personally directed the
child will decide the rules and roles with their play and does not have set steps
that need to be completed. Children who take part in free play allow
for strong social skills between peers as they improve abilities to
share, negotiate, communicate and cooperate. Through free play,
children develop problem solving skills and how to manage risk because of no
authority figure explaining it. In return, free play develops a child’s resilience,
increases self-efficacy and improves self-esteem. Overall, free play contributes
to a child’s feeling of happiness and contentment while providing an outlet for
excitement and creativity. Boost your child’s life by letting them explore the
world with free play.
References: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Convention on the Rights of the Child.
General Assembly Resolution 44/25 of 20 November 1989. Available at: www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/k2crc.htm.
Hurwitz SC. To be successful: let them play! Child Educ.2002/2003;79 :101– 102
Mahoney JL, Harris AL, Eccles JS. Organized activity participation, positive youth development, and the overscheduling hypothesis. Soc Policy Rep.2006;20 :1– 31
Rosenfeld AA, Wise N. The Over-Scheduled Child: Avoiding the Hyper-parenting Trap. New York, NY: St Martin’s
Griffin; 2000
2 medium oranges
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 eggs
1/2 cup low fat,
plain Greek yogurt
1 cup all-purpose
flour
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position
rack in the center of the oven. Wash
oranges. Using a zester or fine grater,
remove the orange zest from the rinds of
both oranges and place in a mixing bowl.
Slice oranges in half. Squeeze juice into a
1 cup liquid measuring cup. Add water if
needed to make 1/2 cup juice. Add juice
to the zest. Add the oil, sugar, honey, eggs
and yogurt. Mix together with a whisk. In
a separate mixing bowl, place the flour,
baking powder, soda and salt. Add the
wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and
1 cup whole wheat
flour
1.5 teaspoons
Baking powder
1 teaspoon baking
soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1.5 cups fresh
blueberries
mix with a wooden spoon, until just
combined. Batter should be lumpy.
Add the blueberries and fold into batter
until evenly distributed. Using a large
table spoon, scoop the batter into a
greased 12 cup muffin pan, evenly
dividing the batter. Bake 20 minutes or
until lightly browned on the tops. Cool in
pan for 5 minutes. Remove to wire rack
and serve.
Yield: 12 muffins