Dangerous => Educational And Fun
By
on
August 8th, 2008
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In today's world of overprotective parenting it's easy to forget how kids learn. In the early years they learn by playing, often not without risk. But some parents seem to be freaking out and forbidding their children to even participate in the fun games we enjoyed as youngsters according to a survey by the National Children's Bureau in UK. The message is that kids need to do some "risky" play to I couldn't agree more. Throughout my whole life I've learned most things by looking at others and then by trial and error. So far thankfully without any serious errors. But what kind of parents don't even let hteir kids play catch or hide and seek?
A major study by Play England, part of the National Children's Bureau, found that half of all children have been stopped from climbing trees, 21 per cent have been banned from playing conkers and 17 per cent have been told they cannot take part in games of tag or chase. Some parents are going to such extreme lengths to protect their children from danger that they have even said no to hide-and-seek.
Parents are scared of everything today. Sadly often most scared of the least dangerous things, but of course without realizing it. Our door games and fun are not popular and leaving a child alone for one second anywhere outside is apparently too dangerous. While we should take good care of our kids we're not doing them any favors by shileding them in a protective bubble.
The tendency to wrap children in cotton wool has transformed how they experience childhood. According to the research, 70 per cent of adults had their biggest childhood adventures in outdoor spaces among trees, rivers and woods, compared with only 29 per cent of children today. The majority of young people questioned said that their biggest adventures took place in playgrounds.
The article doesn't touch on another closely related subject, the obesity chrisis. Today's kids are outside much less and also fatter than ever. Could there be a link between the outside play and the obesity epidemic in countries like UK and US?
no climbing trees?! I have to say, that wouldn’t have stopped me as a kid.
tag really doesn’t seem very dangerous. Come on parents, there are greater worries in the world then our kids having fun!