When most of us were kids our parents would kick us out of the house and say “go play,” and while that doesn’t happen anymore in a lot of cases, there’s still plenty of ways for kids can enjoy playtime, but apparently more and more of them just aren’t doing it anymore.
According to a new survey, 75% of children under 12 are not getting enough active free play, which could be anything from running to riding bikes and more. And the older a child gets, the less playtime they are enjoying, with 65% of those one to four having a free play deficit, and that number increasing to 77% for those nine to 12. As for why, lack of time seems to be the reason for at least one third of children.
"Our study found that children of all ages do not currently get a balanced approach to play, which is necessary for healthy holistic development," Dr. Amanda Gummer, child psychologist and founder of Fundamentally Children says. "The need to raise greater awareness of the benefits of play has become increasingly obvious, as parents need to feel empowered to prioritize playtime activities."
TL;DR: maybe it's time for less structured activities, and MORE time running around just being kids.