Bored games — Some ideas for getting children to play outside

LEHI — It was the hour between dinner and bedtime, and an army of kids had gathered outside Angie and Craig Larson's home.

Their bikes were stacked near the edge of the driveway, and a few dominant personalities began to debate what game they'd play. Meanwhile, 3-year-old Emily Larson zoomed around on her scooter, up and down the sidewalk, while a few boys balanced on skateboards.

Then snap. The group separated.

It was time to play.

The first game was Ghost in the Graveyard. One person hid while others tried to find him. Next was Steal the Flag, with a pair of old dishrags serving as flags for each side.

"You can't tag me," one boy said. "I'm in the street."

"Are you in jail?" a girl asked a teammate.

Angie Larson smiled.

"This happens a lot after dinner," she said.

But in other neighborhoods, some streets apparently remain quiet. Researchers say unstructured, or "free," play is on the decline, with children spending their time in organized, adult-directed activities, or inside watching television or playing video games.

This decline is a worry to child psychologists, play advocates and even the American Academy of Pediatrics, which released a report in 2006 saying play is essential because it "contributes to the cognitive, physical, social and emotional well-being of children and youth."

For Joan Almon, director of the Alliance for Childhood, the difference between a child who plays and one who doesn't is noticeable. She was once an early childhood educator and said children who don't play can suffer behavioral issues such as hyperactivity or depression.

Play also teaches a child self-discipline, social skills and how to focus on a task, she said.

"It is such a fundamental part of human life," Almon said. "It's the primary way for kids to work out all kinds of things that are bothering them and to discover all the things they know about life. When you take that away, you leave them without some of the key resources in life."

She encourages parents to give their children an old sheet, let them use the cushions off the sofa and build a fort. Parents can also crawl under the kitchen table with their children and let them be the leader in a game of make-believe.

"Some parents have said they don't use play — it's a four-letter word," Almon said. "Once we remind them of how much they loved playing, they get it, and want it for their children."

Joanna Cemore, an assistant professor of childhood education and family studies at Missouri State University, said she believes one of the reasons play has declined is an increase in the use of technologies such as computers and video games.