Skills and spills

With summer coming on, Australians will head outside en masse for some recreation and entertainment. Many of them will have kids in tow – and these delightful little creatures will seek out new friends, get as wet and dirty as possible and create anxiety for their parents in their wake! These are the joys of what we call ‘play’ . 

Let’s think about children, their play and how they benefit 

Children love to play, it’s instinctive to them. Of course adults do too, but we have learned to do it in a more reserved, more organised and maybe less fun manner. Well, some of us anyway.

To the onlooker, children’s play seems to be chaotic, especially when you observe the very young. But it’s being carried out in a much more ordered way than we realise. Learning, sharing and compromising are acquired and playground skills developed, practised and fine-tuned.

To children, confidence is everything. Confidence comes from being successful at something – solving a problem or puzzle, kicking or throwing a ball where you want it to go. Confidence is cumulative; it builds and builds with each new challenge taken on and mastered.

At the same time, safety for children at play is paramount. As adults we shouldn’t ever underestimate the way children unwittingly put themselves at risk. Some children, especially the very skilful, appear overconfident and fearless, with little appreciation of the possible harm that can come to them.

We’ve all seen them high in trees, in the deep end of the pool or tearing down the hill on a small bike – the statistics tell the tale. All things being equal, though, the last thing parents should do is discourage children from playing and learning new skills. Play in a safe and stimulating environment is probably one of the best things we can provide for them.

The benefits far outweigh the risks and possible harm. And it’s counterproductive trying to motivate children to be more active by threats about the risks of obesity and ill health that result from being lazy and inactive.

The overwhelming majority of children are not naturally lazy. They respond to stimulating challenges and are willing to have a go at most reasonable tasks. When learning physical skills at home or at school, children are involved in some very complex body-mind processes that we are yet to fully understand.

Researchers who have worked with children recommend that we:

• Encourage our children to be physically active every day
• Encourage them to try new games and activities
• Help them play in a safe, protective environment

The Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER), and the Active Australia Schools Network, also encourage parents and teachers to support children’s’ play. While there is a disturbing trend toward indoor activity, in the form of electronic games and video viewing, it must be tempered by positive encouragement toward outdoor play.

As for electronic games and television, there’s little point in banning them. Rather it’s more realistic to control the time children spend on them, so that it is not the dominating influence on their recreation choices.

Studies at the University of South Australia by Associate Professor Kevin Norton and Mr Jim Dolman, found that more than half of all children aged 5-14 years in South Australia spend more time watching TV and videos than they spend in the classroom.

They also found that:

• more than 10% spend more than 20 hours a week on computers (some of which can be explained by increasing focus on computers as the student ‘workbook’ and means of communicating).
• the number of children playing at least one sport has dropped from 82% in mid 1980’s to 60% percent.

Research indicates that children who are regularly active generally feel good about themselves. They are likely to concentrate better in class and they learn a great deal about other children. They also learn to communicate. And of course, regular physical activity promotes longer-term health benefits.

Kellogg Australia, in partnership with the Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation and the Heart Foundation, produced some very important guidelines for getting children to ’eat right, play well and stay well’. 

The 5 Fun Ways to Health and Fitness encourages parents and teachers to use the themes of Everyday, New Things, Variety, Fun and Friends and Occasionally as a basis for planning regular activity and healthy eating.  Kellogg has also developed a website 5 Fun Ways to Health and Fitness designed to provide ideas for students and teachers.

Children need the opportunity to learn sport and recreation-related skills. Their social involvement develops confidence and a sense of self-worth; that in turn improves their chances of ongoing participation.

As parents we want our children to do well in sports and their chosen activity or pastime. Sometimes though, we want this so badly that we put pressure on them to succeed and equate this exclusively with winning.

But for children there are many ways to win and not just on the scoreboard. Some win because they achieve a personal best; some because of the friends they make; and others just get a great buzz out of participating.

The Australian Sports Commission through the Junior Sports Unit has led the way here, reviewing and re-developing the Official Junior Sport Policy. This provides guidelines for volunteer parents, coaches and managers who are involved in children’s sport. It’s critical that children enjoy this part of their life.

The physical skills acquired now mean they develop the team skills invaluable for later in life at school, the workplace and within their own families. That is just as important as being able to read and write effectively.

By Rebecca Tucker

This article was first published in Australian Family Magazine, October 2002. Updated July 2009.