Are your children getting enough time and space to play in school? Sadly, despite numerous studies proving that play is vital to children’s learning and health, schools across the country are slashing recess; piling on homework; and banning tag, soccer, and even running on the schoolyard.
It’s time to do something about these disturbing trends, and here’s why:
- Since 1990, American creativity scores have been falling, attributed in part to the lack of “creativity development” in our schools. At the same time, an IBM poll of 1,500 CEOs identified creativity as the number one “leadership competency” of the future.
- Children in Finnish elementary schools—who get an average of 75 minutes of recess a day—consistently rank higher than U.S. children in International Student Assessment Scores.
- Two reviews of more than 180 homework studies reveal very little correlation between the amount of homework and achievement in elementary school.
- The decline of play is closely linked to childhood obesity; ADHD; behavioral problems; and stunted social, cognitive, and creative development.
- Increased physical activity during the school day can help children’s attention, classroom behavior, and achievement test scores.
Are you concerned that your child’s school is all work and no play?
Sign this Back-to School pledge from the national nonprofit KaBOOM!, and get a copy of How to Save Play at Your School—featuring 15 action ideas that moms can take this fall to make school grounds and school days more playful.
This post originally appeared on RoomMomSpot.com