Concentrating only on the physical activity aspect of children's playtime lowers the benefits of playtime, a study finds.
The study was conducted by researchers from University of Montreal. The researchers noted that putting a "goal" on playing can lower the benefits of active play among kids.
"By focusing on the physical activity aspect of play, authorities put aside several aspects of play that are beneficial to young people's emotional and social health," explained Professor Katherine Frohlich of the university's Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, in a press statement. "Play is a way to achieve various objectives, including the improvement of physical health and the development of cognitive and social aptitudes. Obviously, we must ensure children's development and combat obesity. But to get there, must we distort play?"
The study was conducted on 25 children between 7 and 11 years. The children were involved in a photography project about their favorite play. Children's photographs of their leisure activities showed that sports were well represented -- balls, bicycles, hockey, and baseball -- but so were many sedentary activities, such as puzzles, knitting, reading, movies, and video games. Animals and pets were also photographed by many.
"Play reframed as a way for improving physical health removes the spontaneity, fun, and freedom in children's play, which is also important for their well-being," first author Dr. Stephanie Alexander said in a press statement. "Active play alone does not make up many children's preferences." It is also clear that risk-taking is an integral part of children's play preferences. Allowing children to take acceptable risks while remaining vigilant is indeed beneficial to their development. An overemphasis on safety may contribute to the emergence of a generation of young people that is less and less able to cope with the unpredictable."
During the study, researchers identified four dimensions of play
- play as an end in itself, where children play for fun and not for exercising
- play that isn't necessarily active, where children prefer sedentary games
- children feel ambiguous about scheduled play activities where they have less time for free play
- risk as a pleasurable component of play
"Despite the abundance of messages targeting children and play and health, children's perspectives are rarely taken into account within public health, although they have social and scientific value," Frohlich said. "We hope that our findings will inform and improve the way authorities and indeed parents approach playtime."
The study titled "Problematizing 'Play-for-Health' Discourses Through Children's Photo-Elicited Narratives" was published online in the journal Qualitative Health Research. The researchers received funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC.)
