Let Them Play!

This is important!  I don't usually post things that other people have written, but this article on the importance of play and unstructured play time is right on target.  It's lengthy, but worth it.  All parents, teachers, and leaders should read this and take note!

Let Them Play! by Susan Gregory Thomas

A safe, developmentally appropriate neighborhood recreation area is as fundamental to a healthy, happy childhood as a good school.

It's the place where my son Zuzu met Leo and formed a friendship so profound that now they're more like siblings.  It's where Leo's mom, Nati, became the sister I never had.  We spent most of the afternoons during our second pregnancies hanging out on the bench half-watching as the boys played.  Then our daughters were born and this is where they duked it out with the big kids for control of the diggers in the sandbox-- and when they lost, founded "the doggy club" under the rope bridge.  A few months ago, my baby, Will, was awestruck by his first swing ride.  Recently, my kid was even scouted by a gymnastics coach as she practiced aerials and one-handed round-offs on the black-matted surface.  "Where does she take classes?" he asked me.  Since she had never taken any-- she'd just learned it all by watching the other kids-- my answer was simple: the playground.

A playground is a complex, amazing ecosystem.  It's easy to miss the action if your eye stays trained on the surface.  True, the monkey bars help build upper-body strength and coordination, and mastering them boosts self-esteem.  But have you noticed that for your kid, those overhead ladders might very well be the only way to avoid quicksand, a gigantic lava pit, or a roiling pool of megamouth sharks?  Sure, the slid offers and experience of "safe danger," critical for developing a sense of judgment and independence, but what about the archway underneath?  For the children huddled there it may be a vitally important hideaway or a staging ground for an epic tea party.

Recreation Deprivation
We've all heard that play is the work of childhood.  It's the mantra of child-development experts.  From our kids' teacher at school to the surgeon general prescribing at least 60 minutes daily of physical activity to the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights affirming every child's right to play, there's little disagreement on this point.  This unstructured time hones children's intellectual and social gifts; it instills them with a sense of fairness and judgment; it builds their bodies with muscle and know-how; it endows them with competence.

But what's less talk about is what happens when kids don't have play.  Experts are finding that depriving children of free play can have disastrous consequences.  Research shows that kids who lack it show signs of "play deprivation," including aggression, repressed emotions, depression, and underdeveloped social skills, and are at an increased risk for obesity.  One study conducted by John A. Byers, Ph.D., professor of biology at the University of Idaho in Moscow, showed that the benefits are not simply activated during the sensitive period for brain development, but that they actually trigger neural development itself.  That is, children's brains develop differently when they play.

Doesn't it always seem as if expert studies confirm what mothers have known all along?  In fact, it was groups like the National Congress of Mothers and the General Federation of Women's Clubs at the turn of the 20th century that first recognized the need of all children for play, rallying behind construction of the first public playgrounds in the United States.  Then-President Teddy Roosevelt himself, a notorious lover of the outdoors and a fitness buff, got behind the mothers' efforts, noting in a 1907 speech that "playgrounds should be provided for every child."  He said "City streets are unsatisfactory playgrounds for children because of the danger... and because in crowded sections of the city they are apt to be schools of crime."  But he wasn't just addressing the kids who lived in urban settings.  He was exhorting the importance outdoor community-recreation spaces for all. 

It seems ironic, then, that although the specific obstacles may be different, things are pretty much back to the sorry state of affairs of Roosevelt's era.  Indeed, up to 40 percent of American schools have cancelled recess, in spite of evidence that children do better academically when they are given even as little as 15 minutes of it a day.  According to a Kaiser Family Foundation report, kids ages 6 and under spend an average of two hours a day playing video games and watching TV and DVDs-- which obviously eats into outdoor time.  Naturally, this sedentary lifestyle is unhealthy.  We have all heard that childhood obesity has reached epidemic levels, with more than 30 percent of American children in most states either obese or at risk of becoming so.

If You Build It, Everyone Will Come
But prompting kids to run around is an abstract idea unless there's someplace safe for them to get their move on.  It's not just individual kids who benefit when neighborhoods join forces to rehabilitate or build a playground.  The community gets stronger too.  Research bears it out-- and then some.  Consider the case of KaBOOM!, a nonprofit organization on a mission to save play by empowering communities to build playgrounds.  In 2008, Northwestern University published a study surveying the results of 32 of these KaBOOM!-led builds.  Without being prompted by researchers, 84 percent of neighborhood residents and 91 percent of partners (such as local businesses) said that building a playground together had strengthened community relationships.  Eight-eight percent said that the project had transformed skepticism into a can-do attitude, and nearly 90 percent said that the experience had proven to them the power of community organizing.  Nearly all participants said the playground had improved the quality and quantity of children's play.  But what is remarkable is that more than half said the playground project had helped them to address larger community issues.

Eileen Collins, a mom from Laurel, Maryland, discovered this firsthand when she initiated a drive to rehabilitate her local elementary school's playground using KaBOOM!'s free DIY tools.  Not only did the community show up in record numbers to help install the new equipment, but they continued to volunteer in a variety of unexpected ways.  "Church groups that had helped with the build offered parenting classes and homework assistance," she says.  "It even helped break the language barrier.  Spanish-speaking parents began coming to local schools to take English classes," says Collins, who's now head of the Laurel Elementary School's PTA.  "I was floored by the ongoing response.  I had no idea that one playground could inspire so much."

That's exactly what motivates Darell Hammond, founder of KaBOOM!.  "Our goal is to get people to understand that play is a right of all children, and experience has taught us that if a community is genuinely involved in their local playground-- if they erect the slides and swings, if they help design it and raise money for it-- there are benefits for the whole neighborhood."

Or a while city.  Rick Baker, the former mayor of St. Petersburg, Florida, had an inspirational playground moment back in 2001.  The mayor of the small city was walking home from a wonderful day at his local playground with his kids, ages 4 and 5, thinking, "Every child should have a neighborhood playground."  Shortly after, Baker developed an initiative called Play'n' Close to Home, whose purpose was to ensure there is an accessible playground within a half mile of every child in the city.

To reach his goal, Baker first found existing school, church, and other privately owned playgrounds and negotiated to make them accessible to the public.  Then he added 25 local playgrounds to the city's offerings, ensuring that nearly 80 percent of the city had local access to one by the end of his term in 2009.  The flagship project, the Del Holmes playground-- which includes and array of water features, welcome under the hot Florida sun-- is not only the largest in Florida, but it's also located in the midtown area, one of the most economically depressed parts of the city  Now, families from all sections of St. Petersburg, who might never have crossed paths otherwise, meet up there.  "Whenever I go to elementary schools and ask how many children have been to 'the water park,' every kid raises his hand," says Baker.  "It's the centerpiece for neighborhood gathering."

Creativity, gross motor skills, and community-- mobilizing for a space where all of that can develop is a cause to unite both policy makers and parents.  Make a commitment to ensure that there's a great playground within walking distance of every child.

originally published in the July 2010 issue of Parents Magazine

Just singing for you...

In light of the sensation that is GLEE some of my other friends have written about their high school show choir experiences.  Tonight's season finale inspired me to write about mine; not because it was better than anyone else's, but vastly different.

You see, my mom was our showchoir director.  From the time I was born, I sat at her feet and watched her direct a choir.  When I was 7, she began directing the showchoir at Laurel High School (R.H. Watkins).  I watched intently as she corrected students, "cleaned up" choreography, and taught harmonies and vocal techniques.  I absorbed it all.  I studied other directors as well.  Their techniques, their ways of motivating students.  If a stranger were to ever wander into one of my mom's rehearsals they might have asked themselves, "What's the big deal?"  But it was a big deal.  My mom knew that if her students were excited about what they were doing, then their parents would be too.  She knew that if the students and parents were excited, they would start talking to others in the community and soon the auditorium at Laurel High would be full of people waiting to see what those kids had been rehearsing all this time.  When I was in Jr. High, my mom's showchoirs decided they wanted to compete.  We traveled to Nashville, San Antonio, and New Orleans and won each competition.  Just watching them perform was mesmerizing and watching the passion they all exhibited was inspiring.  I couldn't wait for my turn to wear a sequin dress, the required red fingernail polish, the dangle-y rhinestone earrings, and the big curly hair.  I couldn't wait.

When I was 14 I went to my first Showchoir Camps of America camp (SCA) at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill.  My mom had gone for years and I was so excited to finally be able to go.  My excitement was short-lived.  I stayed in an un-air-conditioned dorm and rehearsed in un-air-conditioned dance studios during the hottest summer the Land of Lincoln had seen in quite some time.  On top of the heat, was the level of difficulty.  I had taken dance lessons since I was 3.  I was NEVER on the back row and was certainly never hidden in the middle of the group.  This was a first.  These routines were hard!  The choreographer was from Illinois.  He taught fast and talked faster.  We only had a week to learn a full show-- 3 songs with choreography and a ballad.  I cried everyday.  The choreographer was Mike Weaver, a brilliant man whom I would have the pleasure of working with many times again and am now proud to call my friend.  I would continue attending SCA for one week out of every summer for the next 6 years.  Several others and I were also selected for the All-State Honor Showchoir each year, another opportunity to learn from the best teachers and students around.  I carefully studied the teaching techniques of each choreographer I worked with.  I studied the vocal techniques of every vocal director I worked with.  I was a sponge.  Each year became a little easier.  Each year, I challenged myself a little more though, by auditioning for the select dance ensemble (which rehearsed after the day's regular rehearsals were finished... just when you thought you couldn't dance another step...), and by being placed in  groups with increasingly challenging choreographers and musical directors.  I would take what I learned each summer and incorporate it into our shows at home.  You see, since my mom was the director, I didn't get the summers off from showchoir.  We spent our summers dreaming up shows, costumes, and choreography.  I didn't just enjoy it, I LOVED  it.  I was the ultimate showchoir geek.

My junior year of high school, my mom announced that it would be the last year for her to direct the showchoirs at Laurel High.  When she began teaching at LHS, there were barely enough people to make up a showchoir and a concert choir.  Ten years later, there was a male/female showchoir, two all girl groups, a gospel choir, and a concert choir.  We put on the traditional "Red and Gold Revue" every year and also produced a full-length musical complete with orchestra.  We were one of the first choirs outside the state of Florida to be invited to perform at the Walt Disney World Candlelight Processional, a Christmas concert in Epcot Center.  We were asked to perform in schools and at civic functions.  We thought we were rock stars. 

We, the select few who went to SCA and spent our summers dreaming up fabulous shows, decided that because of all her hard work, she should go out with a bang.  We planned an over-the-top Red and Gold Revue.  I had 14 costume changes.  We included music from several decades.  There was something for everyone and the auditorium at LHS was filled to capacity for three nights and for the Sunday matinee.  We, the students, took enormous pride in what we did because we all had a hand in it.  My mom made sure that anyone who wanted to be involved, was.  If you haven't figured it out by now, my mom was an AWESOME teacher.

After the success of the Red and Gold Revue, we decided that we wanted to compete in the annual showchoir competition held at Pearl River Community College.  Our showchoirs had not competed in some time.  We didn't have the money for a live band, custom musical arrangements, or a big name choreographer.  We did it all ourselves.  To continue the theme of "going out with a bang" we decided we should do a medley from the Broadway musical "Rent."  Not exactly appropriate content for a high school showchoir, but it was heavily watered down.  To keep costumes simple, we decided to dress like characters from the show.  Most of us had seen it on Broadway or on tour and the images of such a revolutionary show were seared into our memories.  We borrowed choreography from routines we had learned at SCA and what we couldn't steal, we made up ourselves.  Everyone had a part in making this the best show we could possibly put together.  We rehearsed during school, after school, and at night.  Many of us skipped "non-essential" classes (like algebra and health) to go to the choral room and practice some more.  We knew we probably wouldn't win, but we were there to show everyone that we could be competitive too.

The day of the competition arrived.  We were nervous.  We knew we'd be doing something that had never been done at this competition before.  We were performing an edgy, contemporary show, wearing street clothes and sneakers.  We did not have on red lipstick, our hair was not all pouffed and pulled back into matching rhinestone barrettes.  We got some strange looks when we changed into our costumes.  When we took our place on the risers, you could hear a pin drop.  Our hearts were pumping, probably in unison.  There were no whoops and cheers that usually precede a showchoir competition performance.  When the music started off with loud electric guitars, I thought the judges were going to jump out of their seats.  We sang and danced our hearts out.  The looks of confusion and shock on the faces of the audience turned to joy as they caught on to our act.  They realized that we were a bunch of high school kids, singing our hearts out and having the time of our lives and they (to their surprise) were having just as much fun watching us as we were performing for them.   When it was over, we were shaking from the adrenaline.  On their critique sheets, the judges complimented our originality, our vocal performance, and our spirit.  We did not win.  I don't remember what our rank was.  Third maybe?  It wasn't important.  For a few minutes, we did not have differences, we all belonged, and we were all stars.