Utah Valley Pediatrics strives to keep parents up to date on the latest health topics and advisories. Our newsletter covers medicine changes and news, pediatric news, seasonal and age specific topics and what's new at Utah Valley Pediatrics.
Archives
Winter 2009
Vol. 2 Issue 4
Medicine Changes and News
You Can Protect Your Child from Rotavirus
Tips for Helping Children Handle Shots
Pediatric News
Studies Link Physical Activity with Better Academic Performance
Pressuring Children to Eat: Winning the Battle, Losing the War
Want to Make Your Children Happier, Healthier, Smarter and More Well-Adjusted? Eat Dinner With Them!
Having the TV on Disrupts Toddlers From Normal Play
Seasonal and Age Specific
Tips for Making Sure Your Child’s Toys are Safe
Contacts
Kevin Moffitt
Administrator
801-373-8930
Katie Jenkins
HR Manager
801-373-8930
Quick Links
The Importance of Playing
Children's lives used to be filled with climbing trees, fighting off pretend dragons, and making lovely mud pies. Now they are packed with scheduled lessons, supervised sports, and other structured activities.
Parents who want their child to excel might be tempted to over-schedule and push aside free play, but experts are worried that this might have the opposite effect. The concern is that play fosters innovation, creative thinking, and social skills, all of which are important factors in emotional and economic success. By limiting the time children have to play together we risk producing a generation of socially inept people, which contributes to youth obesity, anxiety, attention-deficit disorder, and depression.
That is why two years ago the American Academy of Pediatrics encouraged more time for free play. However, changes in expectations and social norms continue to squeeze playtime out of our children's lives. Since the 1980s, the average American child gets eight to 12 fewer hours of free playtime per week.
How can you help your children get the playtime they need?
• Find out how much recess your child is getting at school each week and make sure that recess does not get cut from the school schedule.
• Limit structured activities like lessons and supervised sports. Keep time open for creative and spontaneous play.
• Limit time spent watching TV, surfing online, playing video games or talking on the phone.
Most importantly, make sure your focus isn't just on academic success but on helping your child develop into a well-balanced and healthy person. Especially with younger children, put down the flashcards and help them step into an imaginary world of their own.
For more information:
Experts bemoan loss of kids' play time