June 23--Before age 9, the majority of children spend part of each day playing, but after age 9, just 26 percent of kids play daily, according to a new survey from Let's Play.
The national organization, which advocates for more play spaces and better access to athletic equipment for kids, surveyed 1,002 American parents with children ages 3 to 17 and found that play gives way to technology and overscheduling before the onset of adolescence.
By the time kids reach 13, just 13 percent of parents say their children play every day, and just 10 percent of 16-year-olds play every day.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 60 minutes of physical activity every day for children and adolescents.
Sixty-five percent of parents said technology is the biggest barrier to play, followed by busy schedules and the cost of equipment or participation fees.
Youth exercise specialist Steve Ettinger says older kids need to be prodded to play.
"You can send a 5-year-old off with a ball or a box and they can keep themselves busy for a long time," he says. "As kids get older they need more motivation and things to stimulate them."
But play, he argues, becomes more, not less, important, as kids mature.
"The benefits, ranging from stress reduction and helping you sleep better, become even more important when you're entering middle school and high school and dealing with those stressors," he said.
Thirty-seven percent of surveyed moms and 26 percent of surveyed dads said kids get "significantly less" active play than children enjoyed when they were growing up.
Play doesn't have to take place on a playground or athletic field, Ettinger stresses. Dancing, yoga, biking, playing tag -- all are linked to physical health, better social skills and improved academic achievement.
Moving your body is the key.
"And," he said, "it makes you happier."
Hard to argue with that.
hstevens@tribpub.com
