I was watching the BBC news a few days ago about what children had missed most over lockdown and this is what one child said:
“I missed playtime games outside with my friends “
When children are interviewed about what makes them happy at school, playing games in the playground and socialising with friends is top of the list.
This week a survey by the Institute for Fiscal Studies revealed that parents want policies to promote children’s wellbeing as well as their academic learning. Most believed that in-class activities – such as arts, creative writing or spending time outdoors – would make the biggest difference.
I am concerened that many of our children haven’t been getting outside, to play and found it interesting to note that during the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown 1, the Ordnance Survey (OS) map data (May 2020) revealed that one in eight households (12%) in Great Britain has no access to a private or shared garden. Furthermore, a recent study in Bradford (BBC 1.3.21) showed that only a third of children had sufficient exercise in the first lockdown, last spring – and a similar proportion were rarely leaving the home.
Interestingly, a survey of 2,000 parents in the United Kingdom (Guardian) prior to the Covid 19 pandemic found that nearly three quarters of children are spending less than one hour outside every day. That’s less time outside than prison inmates, who get two hours!
As Stuart Brown explains in Play (2010) ‘evidence suggests we have a play deficit much like the well documented sleep deficit.’
So let’s make active play part of our recovery curriculum, we all know it’s the best form of exercise and that it supports our children’s mental health.
I’d like to encourage your schools to take a leaf out of the Finnish system where students have a 15-minute outdoor free -play break every hour of every single school day (regardless of the weather) until high school. For years now, it has been said that Finland has the best primary school system in the world. It is consistently ranked at or near the top of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) list while OECD countries and the United States have seen their positions tumble.
Finland leads the way in its discovery that play is the most fundamental engine and efficiency booster of children’s learning.
So, this week and for the next 4 weeks I’m going to send you a game each week to play with your children. Starting this week with Jacks. Do you remember it from your childhood? It’s not a game often see played and it’s easy to organise in bubbles.
Download this week’s Game of the Week Jacks
Have a play filled week!
With kind regards,
Jacks
