Kraus' Recreation and Leisure in Modern Society 10th Edition by Daniel McLean, Linda Dayer-Berenson, Brian Luke Seaward, Amy Hurd

تمرين 19

Children, Play, and Nature
The study of play is experiencing a resurgence in a society where children are being regimented and overscheduled; where computer time exceeds outdoor time considerably; and where parents are afraid to let their children outdoors. Cities are not planned and managed for the benefit of children's play. According to Churchman,
[Cities] do not provide many or sufficient places that adequately and appropriately meet the developmental needs of children. They do not facilitate and encourage the independent use of the city by children. … They do not welcome children in all areas of the city with open arms, or project a message that says this is for you too. a
Children seek out natural play environments, and the younger they are, the more important such environments are to their development. Whether it be the backyard, neighborhood park, a natural area, or state park, these areas appear to provide important opportunities for experiences that can have positive developmental outcomes for children of all ages. One of those important outcomes is the opportunity to develop imagination using items found in the environment, such as rocks, twigs, flowers, and so forth. One researcher suggests that such opportunities to develop imagination results in high social and cognitive benefits. b In another study conducted with children in poor urban environments, when the family was relocated to areas with more nearby nature the children had higher levels of cognitive ability. c
The terms natural play and natural play environments have different connotations. Natural play environments are outdoor settings, or settings that primarily have not been manicured or prepared by individuals into a more formal park setting. Natural play, by contrast, is the process of children playing without intervention from adults, support devices such as playground equipment, and other external influences. Natural play is also called child-directed play. The importance of natural play, regardless of the setting, is its recognized contributions to social, emotional, cognitive, and physical well-being of children and youth. d
When you were a child, how often did you play outdoors What are your best memories of play as a child