Relearning to Play Like Children

Have you ever wondered why it's so difficult to get children moving today?

Why do children consider playing outside as punishment, when not so long ago, we had to fight with them to get them to come inside in the evening?

In the following text, we'll take a look at the reasons behind this phenomenon and ways to remedy it.

Because after all, children are our future. There's no better cause than investing in their happiness today and now.

And you know as well as I do, real life is outdoors.

Being in nature is an essential need

To start, let's settle the question. Movement and nature are essential for children's development and balance. Not only is this a fact proven by a multitude of studies, but it's a fact we can corroborate by observing the behaviors of children who are deprived of them.

More and more children are experiencing learning difficulties, anxiety, and showing depressive symptoms. The suicide rate has never been so alarming among young people. And those who manifest suicidal thoughts are getting younger and younger. All these phenomena are closely or distantly linked to the lack of physical activities and contact with nature.

How can we explain these concerning phenomena?

Of course, there's the influence of technology. Today's children are overstimulated by screens and urban life stress. They're conditioned to believe that life's interest comes from external stimulation. They get bored quickly in nature because they don't know how to deal with silence and calm.

There's also this whole obsession with performance linked to competition. All this pressure that children face daily to meet adults' expectations has a strong influence on how they perceive the world. A large majority of children grow up cultivating this feeling of never doing enough.

Moreover, everything moves faster around them and they're asked to maintain this image of performance in all aspects of their lives. And for those who move naturally, our increasingly rational approach to sports and physical activity minimizes the benefits. It's still and always performance and image that are valued first.

Natural playgrounds are disappearing

If we look at the environment in which children could be in contact with nature, we're forced to note that things aren't improving. Wooded areas are increasingly rare and streets are less and less safe. It's even forbidden for children to play in the street in a large proportion of Quebec municipalities. Going out to play to respond to a spontaneous need is becoming increasingly complicated for children.

There are also social fears. In such a media-saturated society, all dramas feed our ancestral survival instincts by amplifying real risks. Children can no longer go outside candidly without having taken their vitamins, put on a helmet, applied mosquito repellent, and slathered themselves with sunscreen. Few are those who can freely move away from home or play outside without adult supervision.

Physical activities are much more supervised than they used to be. Those who organize young people's physical activities are adults. Unfortunately, too often this need to structure activities to avoid overflow and injuries comes at the expense of children's real needs.

Once again, the burden of civil liability undermines the fluidity of playful contexts. Children end up perceiving playing outside as an additional obligation they add to their mental list of things to do.

Especially since a large part of organized activities often take place indoors, according to a precise schedule. Children are classified by category, according to their age and skill level, without regard for their sensitivity or real needs. Only performance criteria and facility availability are taken into consideration.

Yet, beyond the physical benefits that nature activities bring, there are also psychological, emotional and spiritual benefits that must be taken into account.

And structured activities where performance and competition predominate can only partially fulfill these needs in children.

The magic of spontaneous play

What most children today lack is spontaneous play.

Being able to breathe fresh air, enjoy the benefits of the sun, feel the caress of the wind, the coolness of water are the best remedies there are to prevent depression and anxiety.

But it's the context in which children engage in their outdoor games that has the most influence on the benefits they derive from them.

A spontaneous outdoor game must be as unstructured as possible to reduce stress related to performance.

Its form must be flexible enough to leave room for imagination and creativity. The child must learn to assert themselves in their relationships with others based on sensations that emerge from within. The more regulated a game is, the less freely it lets the child express themselves.

Time should not be a limiting factor in play. Spontaneous play periods must be inscribed in response to an impulse felt by the child. We must have a flexible schedule so that the child discovers their own rhythm and doesn't feel too much pressure to be able to express themselves.

These games must also present some form of risk. To build their inner landmarks, the child must go through this essential trial and error phase where they evaluate risk for themselves in real situations. If an adult always takes charge of setting the rules, managing conflicts in their place, the child won't develop strategies to get out of situations on their own.

Prioritize gesture and intention instead of result

We must also lose the reflex of congratulating children about everything. Positive reinforcement must be meaningful to contribute to a child's self-esteem.

If you give them the impression of always being above the fray, not only will they not make efforts to improve, but they'll develop a biased vision of their capabilities.

It's better to congratulate children for their positive attitude instead of insisting on the result. After all, it's through play that the child must discover their abilities, tastes and fields of interest. The less the adult intervenes when they play, the more opportunities the child will have to know themselves, love themselves and interact harmoniously with their environment.

For this reason, the child must therefore be able to find themselves alone to play. They must also be able to play in pairs or in groups if circumstances allow it in order to familiarize themselves with different types of social dynamics. Collective games help improve communication and human interactions.

Sometimes, by looking at each other face to face, we learn many things about those around us. By being around others, we learn to decode body language. We solicit more brain areas related to empathy.

The lack of activities where we spend time with others face to face contributes to the lack of empathy and the development of narcissism that characterizes our modern societies.

What about nature in all this?

It has been shown that the cardiac health of children who play in nature is better, because they move more, sit less and play longer.

They have better eye health. They sleep better, because being often exposed to sunlight helps regulate sleep habits.

They have a better mood, are therefore less likely to become depressed, develop anxiety or other mental health problems.

Playing outside in nature allows for improved social development and contributes to developing better communication skills which improves relationships with others.

Better connections with people, animals and nature help children get an idea of who they are and their place in the world. They naturally become more aware of the importance of respecting the planet.

The images, smells and sounds of nature are restorative for the human nervous system, which improves concentration and creativity. Studies show that time spent in nature reduces symptoms of ADHD and other disorders that hinder learning.

How to get children to do more outdoor activities

Ideally we start introducing them to nature when they're young. We bring them with us in our activities and as they grow, we give them more freedom according to their adaptation capacity while respecting and valuing their fields of interest.

Doing outdoor activities with them regularly helps anchor these habits in children's learning journey. Routine helps them integrate the reflex of playing outside as a natural way to manage their stress and intense emotions.

On this subject, it's important to encourage the practice of free activities where there are no time or performance constraints. Also learn to consider all activities practiced outdoors as beneficial, this includes relaxation activities (reading, drawing, sitting to observe birds or taking a nap outside).

Equip your children so they're comfortable in all weather conditions. Encourage them to go out when it rains, when it's cold or when it's hot.

Organize special outdoor activities: picnics, BBQs, outdoor cinema, parties, rallies, treasure hunts.

Provide them with outdoor games and toys like balls, water games and sports equipment instead of electronic games.

Even by implementing all sorts of measures that favor outdoor activities, this doesn't immunize children against damage caused by prolonged screen exposure time. Overstimulation is addictive for the brain.

For this reason, it's important to restrict children's screen time, especially at a young age. It's important to understand that the addictive nature of screens is amplified by the fact that children's involvement in this context is superficial. In front of a screen, the child is rather passive. Each of their decisions has no concrete impact on the real world.

A child who locks themselves in their electronic bubble has lost contact with the world. Not only do they cut themselves off from their environment, but they also lose contact with their own needs. Everything that's not situated in this universe becomes secondary. They lose an opportunity to interact with others and can no longer face and overcome their fears.

A child who has lost the taste for nature and movement is a child who turns their back on life.

The more children who turn their back on life, the more adults there will be who will have no scruples about destroying it.

What will remain of our planet in a few generations?

But it's not too late.

We can act now to change things.

By setting ourselves as examples, children will notice our happiness and want to imitate us.

And when that day comes, we'll welcome them with open arms. Ready to relearn to play like children.