The Shape of Play Today

-Written by John and Jennifer Heim

Recently there has been a renewed concern and controversy about how our children should spend their free time.  On the one side, the Society of Research in Child Development (SRCD) reports (“The Benefits of Busy,” Newsweek, October 2, 2006) that the more kids are involved in structured after school and enrichment activities, the better kids are on measures of educational achievement and psychological adjustment.  In contrast, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends (Clinical Report on Play, October 9, 2006) unscheduled family time and free, child-centered play to build creativity and emotional resiliency in children.

Several factors are driving this concern for how children make use of their time. More families rely on outside childcare or after school programs while parents are at work. More families are aware that the first years of life are essential to future learning and want to make the most of their child’s time. More families feel pressure to prepare their children for the competitive preschool, private school and college admissions process.  Additionally, many families believe that unsupervised outside play just isn’t safe anymore.

On the upside, what has also changed is the resources available to children and families. Take for example children’s museums.  In 1975 there were approximately 38 children's museums in the United States.  Eighty new children's museums opened between 1976 and 1990.  Today there are more than 300 and that number is growing – currently, there are more than 70 emerging museums.  Three of these “emerging” museums are hoping to settle here in Wisconsin; Fond du Lac, Portage and right here in Kenosha! 

As owners of a successful Chicago nursery school for more than 15 years and as lifetime advocates of early childhood as a journey rather than a race or destination, we recognize the need for bringing families together in a place where play inspires lifelong learning.  We feel such a place belongs right here in Kenosha and can serve families from all over southeast Wisconsin and beyond.  Our vision is to create a learning milieu for children of all ages and abilities where the philosophy is “please touch” and “please participate.”

Our goal would be to reinterpret play for today’s families.  We would want to keep the best of traditional approaches to play — child-centered, hands-on exploration for the whole family.  We dream of a museum that can offer services such as infant-toddler play groups, support for children with special needs, programs for home school families, Kindergarten preparedness assistance for parents, primary school field trip programs and so much more.  We could also provide recommendations on how parents and caregivers can be play mentors at the museum and in everyday situations — as well as tips on when it’s best to step back and just watch the children play.  We would exist to provide families with fun, engaging exhibits and programs in a healthy and nurturing environment.

For many families, visiting a children’s museum is a chance to get away from household distractions, to meet friends and to spend quality family time. When caregivers and children enter a children’s museum they leave the adult-centric world behind and step into a place designed with the child in mind.  This is how it works at a typical children’s museum: a family visits, for example, a 19th century ship exhibit.  The youngest, a child of five tries his hand at hoisting a net full of fish; his older sister then challenges him to take part in a fishing derby.  Afterwards, the father guides the children on how to rise and lower sails and semaphore flags.  Sparked by the exhibit’s maritime history component, the grandmother shares a memory about her late husband’s service in the Korean War.  WOW – that’s quality family time!  This represents the type of family learning through play that could be available at a children’s museum in Kenosha.

One of the best outcomes from SRCD and AAP reports is that the concept of play—structured and unstructured-- is receiving national attention. For many years play has been taken for granted as something that just happens and something separate from learning.  The Children’s Museum Group of Southeast Wisconsin believes that play is an invaluable medium for developmental and emotional learning.  And we celebrate it everyday.  Though times are different; the opportunity for peer, family and community interaction, creative expression and discovery is still available.  And, for our community the possibility is just around the corner.  As the late Fred Rogers said, “Play is the real work of childhood.”  We couldn’t agree more!

For more information, or to learn how you can be involved, please sign our guest book!