At the moment, my three kids are playing a creative game upstairs. I can hear parts of it. My daughter just announced, “All pilots report to the airport base.” From the bits and pieces that I have heard, it sounds like they are going on a ‘magic carpet’ ride.
The voices rise and fall. When they rise, I instinctively want to go up and see what is going on. However, I have made the choice to let them work out their own problems, and so far, so good.
As I listen to them play, I am reflecting upon the importance of free play for children. It is so easy to over-structure kids’ lives with all of the great activities and camps that are available these days. Striking a balance can be a bit challenging. Sometimes, it has to be an intentional choice to let some things go and to let the kids just go play.
“Come in landforms?” I think that is what I just heard along with an airplane noise from my five-year-old. I have just been called in on a conflict, and have given the kids the opportunity to work it out. I will go help if they really need it, but since I have taught them some problem-solving skills, I’m going to see what they can do on their own.
The benefit of allowing kids some free-play is that they learn important life skills that they will need as they grow. Kids need to be able to use their imaginations, think outside the box, and learn how to work together-- resolving their conflicts in the process.
