The importance of free-range play in today’s safety-conscious society
Surveys consistently show that kids want to play outside and want some independence. Yet, children spend less than 10 minutes a day in unstructured outdoor play.
Listen 46:36
Should kids get more freedom to play outside unsupervised?
Today, children spend less than 10 minutes a day in unstructured outdoor play — instead logging hours in organized sports or unsupervised screen time. Most 8- to 12-year-olds aren’t allowed to go to a park, playground, or store on their own. And more 8- and 9-year-olds have chatted with a chatbot than have used a kitchen knife.
Yet surveys consistently show that kids want to play outside and want some independence. They crave the chance to meet up with friends in person, without adults hovering or directing every move. They turn to screens and scheduled sports because those are the only options given to them.
Why are parents so afraid to let their children roam? How did playing in the front yard become the exception rather than the norm? Are the risks real or just imagined? And what are kids missing if their independence is never allowed to grow?
Lenore Skenazy, founder of the Free-Range Kids movement, says it’s time for parents to take a step back and let their kids step outside.
Guest:
Lenore Skenazy – president of Let Grow and author of Free-Range Kids
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