Kids need to play!

I had a great time playing with my Grandkids (age 3 and 6) yesterday.  Play time at my house always includes lots of physical activity and lots of laughing too.   When dinner time came, I noticed something important.  The kids were so wrapped up in playing, imagining, and creating, that they didn’t want to stop when it was time to eat.  Do you remember leaving your meal half-finished to run off and continue playing?  I STILL do that – I love to play more than I love to eat because I have never stopped playing!  For kids, food comes second to what is most important to them: fun and play.  Play is important for the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development of kids and is critical to obesity prevention.

Adults seem to lose our ability to value and prioritize play.  We get lost in work and begin to feel guilty when we play.  Worse yet, we pass these values along to our children.  I can’t tell you the numbers of kids I know who don’t get to go out and play after school because they must “do homework first”.  After a long day at school, children have a physiological need to play and to reboot their brains and bodies before homework time.  AND, they need to burn calories after sitting all day.   AND, they need to develop coordination and motor skills.  AND, they need to play with peers to develop social skills and learn to get along.  AND, they need to have unstructured time to create, problem solve and develop critical thinking skills.  AND, they need activity to produce serotonin, endorphins and dopamine in their brains.  AND, I could go on for a long time with this, but you get the picture. 

Have you noticed that when you are engaged in fun activities your dependence on food seems to decrease?  Likewise, when you are unhappy, stressed or bored, your dependence on food increases.  We can help our kids develop a life balance by encouraging play time.  My Mom used to kick us out of the house after school and lock the door (she did let us in to use the bathroom)!  My Mom understood that play was important and did not allow us to sit in front of the TV.   This habit has endured for me throughout my life. 

 What habits are you teaching your kids right now?  Today, you are creating the habits that will follow them for a lifetime.  The food we eat is very important for health and balance, but what really feeds us and makes a fulfilling life doesn’t come on a plate.  We need to GET a life instead of WATCHING others live their lives on TV.   What is fun for your family?  What creates great memories?  What makes you light up?  Make time for play this week.  It will reduce stress and anxiety, increase focus and a sense of well-being.  Please, do it for the kids and yourself! 

I know there are tons of healthy families out there, and also families who need new ideas for fun and play.  What are yours?  Tell us how you play!  Have you been “hurt” by a no-play philosophy?  Share your experience….