Kids need spontaneous play
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Hi
Does spontaneous free play means parents allow the kids free time to do what they want? If yes, then my kids have loads of it. I set aside the afternoon every weekends after lunch allowing them to do anything. When I take a peek, they will either be engaged in a make believe play, drawings, lego playing, craft work or blowing bubbles. After teatime, we will then head out to parks. Sometime we play ball, frisbee, walk around, play catching etc.
So not only my kids are able to enjoy their weekends, it also means that I can rest & de-stress too.
I tried allowing them to play at the void deck, but my children are not able to mix well with other kids. They are afraid of rough playing so, they will usually play with each other or by themselves.
Here is my son's creation during the free play. It is a truck made from the grocery box.
http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=Pqk4oE9
http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aVjALe9 -
EN, your children are really creative! That looks like old Mater from Cars (the tow-truck).
But I think an important element which we often overlook about structured play is interaction with other kids. It is important for us to encourage our children play with as many different kids as they can, so that they learn to get used to working with people, regardless whether they like or dislike them. -
ChiefKiasu:
It is important for us to encourage our children play with as many different kids as they can, so that they learn to get used to working with people, regardless whether they like or dislike them.
But for interactions with other kids, what protective parents like me fear about are threats of bullying or exclusion from group plays (ok ok...my boy and my nephew excluded a boy from their playground group play and i feel very bad). And also, some kids may start rattling off about their parents names (surnames included), occupation, addresses etc etc....and I had told my boy that he must not reveal so much to such acquaintances...his name included cos I know some kids may turn nasty and go into name calling.
I am so overprotective.... :oops: -
EN:
A 'spontaneous free play' happened yesterday....in his attempt to dissipate my anger, my 'creative' boy attempted to surprise me by writing the word 'love you' using.......a tube of toothpaste!!!
Does spontaneous free play means parents allow the kids free time to do what they want?
I was indeed surprised. :lol:
He had also decided that the overflow 'hole' in the basin needs patching up using........toothpaste!!!!!
faintz. -
Hi
I used to grow up in the army quarter for the 1st 10 yrs of my life. I'm free to roam around the estate without my parents feeling worried because the area was filled with colleague & friends. But majority of the time I like the time out at home doing whatever that I like until my parents were worried that I talk to myself while playing (imaginary friends).
So the way my kids are brought up usually is a reflection of what I had & what I wish I had. They are allowed to run around but in the park. I will be watching in the distance & if they happen to make friends it is fine with me. I live in HDB area where I used to grow up & I dont feel safe letting my kids roam around on their own. Same feeling as Jedamum as I feel some kids play too rough, say the words that they should not say, boasting & alienating.
Just like Jedamum I'm worried about bullying & negative behaviour found in some kids. -
Jedamum, your son is so cute! Doesn’t our kids make our heart lighter? Some parents will be crossed if they see their kids make a mess of the basin or waste the toothpaste. I’m glad you see the otherside of it.
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ChiefKiasu:
Overheard over radio 93.8 today - Parents today put too much emphasis on enrichment courses and educational CDs, ignoring children's need for spontaneous play. Apparently, the unstructured activity that happens when you allow your kids to roll around on the ground, scream and chase one another is just as important, if not more, to their growth.
I do remember how our parents left us alone as early as 4 years old to run about the longkangs, play marbles, catch spiders, chase dogs (but mostly get chased by them instead), fly kites, etc... and I remember those activities much more than when I had to learn my ABCs. Well, apparently we turn out fine even without the right-brain training by Shichida or golfing lessons. Of course, we can argue that our vocab in English or Chinese is inferior compared to the average modern kid of the same age, but were we really that bad without all that additional coaching? We might be pai-gia then, but heck, we were a lot more street-smart and know how to look after overselves.
Are we building greater elitism, snobbery, or worse - a class of kids that know no hardship and believes they can change the world simply by studying hard and doing well in exams?
My kids to roll around on the ground, scream and chase one another everyday when they are at home. In fact, they have unstructured and spontaneous play most of the time. They are now 5 years old and 4 years old, I let them study for not more than 20 minutes a day, after they return from their PCF kindergarten/nursery. They are both doing well in reading/writing and math.
2 weeks ago, I brought them to climb Bukit Timah Hill. I am happy that they walk all the way up and down without asking to be carried. I saw another boy, who is at least 5 years old, sitting on a pram and was pushed all the way up by his mommy to the summit !
I thought to myself, why do parents pamper their kids so much nowadays ? I think many Singaporean kids will not know hardship when they grow up. -
tamarind:
erm...i think i am one of those parent whom others may misunderstood, cos my ds2 who is less than 2yrs actually look more than 3 yrs old by his size (my neighbour actually thought my boys' age gap is 2 yrs when it is actually 4!), and to 'unleash' him from the stroller/pram makes moving around very difficult as the boy likes to make his own decision as to where to explore and is as fast as a torpedo...leaving a trail of destruction... :oops: (think we nearly got shooed out from the library a couple of weeks back if not for the very nice librarian).I saw another boy, who is at least 5 years old, sitting on a pram and...
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How to have the mood to play if faced with the situation as reported by the story below?
\"Is Overall Mark of 97 Not Good Enough for Higher Chinese at St Hilda's Primary School?\"
http://theindependent.sg/is-overall-mark-of-97-not-good-enough-for-higher-chinese-at-st-hildas-primary-school/ -
beacon:
This is the 2nd such posting I've seen in the last couple of minutes, so I guess you are particularly annoyed, perhaps with the school?How to have the mood to play if faced with the situation as reported by the story below?
\"Is Overall Mark of 97 Not Good Enough for Higher Chinese at St Hilda's Primary School?\"
http://theindependent.sg/is-overall-mark-of-97-not-good-enough-for-higher-chinese-at-st-hildas-primary-school/
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