Children are seen to be hyper beings that are always active and moving in some fashion; however, recent studies have shown that this may not be the case. At home, parents are responsible for providing their children with physical activities, but at school, that position belongs to the administrators. “[They] are faced with the demands of preparing children for standardized tests, [which has] reduced… physical activity programs” (Tomporowski, Davis, Miller, & Naglieri, 2007, 125-6). “The time spent engaged in physical activity and recess by grade-school children in schools in the United States has declined significantly over the past decade” (Tomporowski, Davis, Miller, & Naglieri, 2007, 126). Recess is one of the only forms of physical activity
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Children are known for their obsession with playing and as they grow older, they do not decrease their play but simply grow into a new phase of play. There are “three types of play: rhythmic stereotypies (in infancy), exercise play (in early childhood), and rough and tumble play (in late childhood and early adolescence)” (Timmons, Naylor, & Pfeiffer, 2007, S124). The first type of play, rhythmic stereotypies, occurs from birth to about the age of one. They are “gross motor movements without describable purpose that may account for up to 40% of an infant’s activity” (Timmons, Naylor, & Pfeiffer, 2007, S124). This is the time in which babies begin to interact in different ways with others and their environment. Even at this young age, it is important to engage children in this type of play. “[P]assive cycling for 2 months during the first year of life increase[s] language development” (Timmons, 2012, 783). The next form of play, exercise play, begins after rhythmic stereotypies and peaks around the age of 4 or 5. “[E]vidence from older children and adults suggests that it may also bring cognitive and psychological benefits (Timmons, Naylor, & Pfeiffer, 2007, S124). These types of play can result in many different skills such as “language, motor, and social-negotiation skills (mental and emotional mastery, cooperation, problem solving, and leadership” (Timmons, Naylor, & Pfeiffer, 2007, S127). This can also result in connections of synapses which, as discussed earlier, are the building blocks for future cognitive development and
Children are known for their obsession with playing and as they grow older, they do not decrease their play but simply grow into a new phase of play. There are “three types of play: rhythmic stereotypies (in infancy), exercise play (in early childhood), and rough and tumble play (in late childhood and early adolescence)” (Timmons, Naylor, & Pfeiffer, 2007, S124). The first type of play, rhythmic stereotypies, occurs from birth to about the age of one. They are “gross motor movements without describable purpose that may account for up to 40% of an infant’s activity” (Timmons, Naylor, & Pfeiffer, 2007, S124). This is the time in which babies begin to interact in different ways with others and their environment. Even at this young age, it is important to engage children in this type of play. “[P]assive cycling for 2 months during the first year of life increase[s] language development” (Timmons, 2012, 783). The next form of play, exercise play, begins after rhythmic stereotypies and peaks around the age of 4 or 5. “[E]vidence from older children and adults suggests that it may also bring cognitive and psychological benefits (Timmons, Naylor, & Pfeiffer, 2007, S124). These types of play can result in many different skills such as “language, motor, and social-negotiation skills (mental and emotional mastery, cooperation, problem solving, and leadership” (Timmons, Naylor, & Pfeiffer, 2007, S127). This can also result in connections of synapses which, as discussed earlier, are the building blocks for future cognitive development and