Fun Child Games

Games for the children are so important to an optimal child development that it has been recognized by the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights as a right of every child. This birthright is tested by some forces including child labor and exploitation practices, war and neighborhood violence, and the limited resources available to children living in poverty. However, even those children lucky enough to have abundant available resources and who live in relative peace may not be getting the full benefits of play. Many of these children are being raised in an increasingly hurried and pressured style that may limit the protective benefits they would gain from child-driven play. Because every child ought to have the opportunity to develop to their unique potential, child advocates must think about all factors that get in the way with optimal development and press for circumstances that allow each child to fully reap the advantages associated with play.

Children with sufficient resources may be limited from enjoying the full developmental assets associated with play because of a family’s hurried lifestyle as well as an increased focus on the fundamentals of academic preparation in lieu of a broader view of education. Those forces that put off children in poverty and the working class from benefiting fully from play deserve complete, even urgent, attention, and should be addressed seriously. Those issues that impact on play for children with limited resources should be mentioned briefly to strengthen that play contributes to optimal child development for all children and that we must campaign for the changes specific to the need of each child’s social and environmental context that would enhance the opportunities for play.

The prevailing premise is that play is necessary to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth. Although the guidelines are written in defense of play, they should not be interpreted as being against other forces that vie for children’s time. Academic improvement opportunities are essential for some children’s ability to progress academically, and participation in organized activities is known to promote healthy youth development. It is essential that a wide variety of programming remains accessible to meet the needs of both children and families. Play must be included as we seek the balance in children’s lives that will build the optimal developmental milieu to prepare our children to be academically, socially, and emotionally equipped to lead us into the future.