"It is through play that children acquire the fundamental skills that they need for academic pursuits" ... Susanne North. Photo: Supplied
There are different opinions among teachers about the purpose of recess and lunch time at schools. Some say that it is solely time to eat and just let off steam. Others regard it as valuable time where children can engage in much-needed child-directed free play, learn to socialise and expand their learning outside of the classroom.
Apart from being a fun activity, it is widely recognised that play is one of the most important ways in which brain development occurs in children.
Sadly, in some schools valuable recess and lunch time has been reduced in favour of more rigorous academic pursuit within the classroom. In other schools, running or ball games have been banned due to a perceived high injury risk factor.
As many families now choose structured and adult-directed play activities after school or on weekends, the school playground becomes one of a few outlets where children can engage in free outdoor play with their peers. More than 28 hours a week, often spent solitarily, are devoted to computers, mobile phones, television and other electronic devices. Considering that as much as 25 per cent of time spent at school is playground time, we need to rethink the benefits of play at school.
Play during recess and lunch has a positive impact on academic endeavours and contributes greatly to the overall happiness in children and across the school.
A British company, Common Threads, has worked with more than 60 schools in Britain to introduce play during recess. It observed that children were more settled straight after playtime, collaborated better in projects and demonstrated much better problem-solving skills.
Conversely, a lack of play can result in challenging behaviour and negative performances in the classroom, according to an American educational psychologist, Anthony Pellegrini.
Also, playgrounds that lack play stimuli become spaces where children often wander around aimlessly, become frustrated and bully other children. Not many schools can afford expensive playground equipment, but the good news is that this is not needed anyway.
Professor Anita Bundy, from the Faculty of Health Sciences at Sydney University, has launched a large-scale study involving 12 primary schools in NSW, introducing simple, recycled play resources during recess, with outstanding results. This included crates, car tyres, foam pool noodles, plastic barrels, tarpaulins, foam cubes and other open-ended materials that lend themselves to creative, imaginary play.
Not only do children become physically more active, they also hone important social skills, build resilience and are encouraged to think creatively.
Similar pilot studies known as Scrapstore Play Pods in Britain and the US found that children who were engaged happily in play had a better experience at school. They observed a significant decrease in bullying as creative play material empowers all children to join in the play activity, especially those from non-English-speaking backgrounds, children with learning difficulties and behavioural issues and those who are feeling isolated.
Open-ended play also assists with the integration of children across all age ranges and gender. The playground transforms itself into diverse community context where children become authors of their own play narratives.
Play for Life, a newly established non-profit organisation in Victoria, refers to play as ''mental health immunisation''. One of its key initiatives for this year is to provide meaningful play opportunities at lunchtime for all children and ''support their behaviour and learning at school''.
Following the successful Scrapstore Play Pod initiatives overseas, they firmly believe that play contributes to continued mental wellbeing, resilience, adaptability and promotion of social cohesiveness as a community.
At present there are about six schools involved, and they report that results are immediate, visible and tangible with more than 80 per cent of students enjoying playtime more and feeling much happier, which transforms into the classroom environment and affects the entire school culture.
Of course, there is the argument of risk assessment and playground management.
The great news is, however, that all the research has demonstrated a reduction in reported playground injuries and stressed-out teachers as challenging playground behaviour diminishes.
So, what is holding us up? What are we waiting for? Everyone wants happy children and social cohesiveness. What amazes me is that we spend hours debating school choices and academic outcomes. We think that money buys us smart children. Yet we overlook the powerfulness of something that is given to our children naturally and freely from birth: play.
It is through play that children acquire fundamental skills that they need for academic pursuits while becoming happy and well-adjusted human beings. It is play that teaches our children to become diverse thinkers and improvisers. These are survival skills that will be needed to deal with global challenges in a fast-changing world. In the wake of increasing depression rates and declining social literacy, it is time to make play a priority.
Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget once said: ''Play is the answer to how anything new comes about.''
Susanne North is the family educator at St Margaret Mary's Primary School in Randwick. She has trained in Waldorf Early Childhood Education and has three school-age children.