Nursery World - Let boys and girls go out to play

Debbie Chalmers' In My View ('Don't extend the school day', 24 June) looked promising, but as I read it I was increasingly shocked and dismayed. Surely the reason that children should not be encouraged to stay in school all day is that they need time to play. We are mistaken in thinking that filling our children's every waking moment with activities or extra lessons is doing them good. Research tells us that children do not benefit from being reared in captivity - a balance and sensitivity to their needs is required.

We are mistaken in thinking that filling our children's every waking moment with activities or extra lessons is doing them good. Research tells us that children do not benefit from being reared in captivity - a balance and sensitivity to their needs is required.

Sometimes I wonder, if we were honest with ourselves, would we say that enrolling our children in numerous activities is a childcare issue rather than an opportunity for children to extend their skills? Would we say that sometimes the choice and frequency of activities was more about our own ambitions than those of the children?

The time children spend playing, that is, independently exploring the world around them and their relationship with it, is vital to their healthy development.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included