21st Century PlayTime

Many of us “boomer folk” have long reminisced about the value of our childhood when our lives did not revolve around scheduled group activities and ‘bored’ was not a word choice we used lightly – because it resulted in being put to work – and unstructured play was a time to negotiate acceptable social norms for getting along and building friendships and also for being alone. It is in this spirit of looking back, that it is interesting to consider this article on 21st Century Playtime.

21st Century Playtime
Self-regulation may not be the language used when people list 21st Century Skills, but it is clearly a part of the portfolio. Old fashioned play, says Howard Chudacoff, a cultural historian at Brown University, is central to building this essential ability. His recent book on the history of play documents the emergence of toys that come with fixed narratives and the diminishment of free play. NPR's morning edition explores the issue with him and other child development experts. Alix Spiegel explains:
http://21centuryconnections.com/node/450