"Honor is like
a steep island without a shore: one cannot return once one is outside."
- Nicolas Boileau in Satires
Today's Play Landscape
The web site for the advocacy group Playing for Keeps (www.playingforkeeps.org)
offers this description of contemporary play:
"Children have more playtime choices today than ever before. There are
classic toys, "high-tech interactive" toys, board games, organized
sports and activities, video games, computer games, the internet and cable TV
remotes that encourage channel surfing as a playtime activity.
"Unfortunately, in some cases these toys and media expose children to violent
themes and content. And in some cases, they tend to encourage children to spend
a considerable amount of time playing indoors, often by themselves -- and often
without the benefit of parental supervision as more parents work full-time today.
"With a more violent society in general today, playing outdoors unsupervised
has nearly fallen by the wayside, especially for young children. In addition
to missing out on valuable playtime experiences, limited outdoor play affects
children's physical well being. Experts believe that children do not get enough
exercise today and this is cited as a leading factor in the rise of childhood
obesity.
"To prepare children to succeed in our rapidly changing and complex world,
today schools are placing greater emphasis and focusing their budget dollars
on traditional academics. Consequently, recess, physical education, music and
art classes are disappearing from school schedules nationwide. To many, it seems
as if the education system has all but expunged "constructive playfulness"
from the learning process."
Play CD on Sale
This week all Exchange Articles on CD collections are on
sale at for $20 -- a 20% discount. Included is our newest collection on
Play which includes many articles by Playing for Keeps founder
Ed Klugman and Susan Oliver. To check out these collections, go to http://mail.ccie.com/go/eed/0380
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Comments (1)
Displaying 1 CommentWheelock Graduate School
rocky river, ohio, ohio/cuyahoga, United States
It is sad to read about the decline in school programs in music art and gym which give a creative element to children who can still thrive being able to play. I think the over scheduled activities can take away from a child's own imagination and creativity.
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