To highlight the importance of play in children’s lives, the Children’s Center of Austin sponsored an “Under the Big Top” play day.
Kids ages 10 and younger romped with Kiwi the clown, tossed balloons, enjoyed carnival games, had their faces painted, and listened to stories.
The point was to draw attention to the fact that too many children today don’t spend enough time just being kids.
“We are living in a time when children's play has become jeopardized,” says center owner Therese Thompson. “Many societal changes have impacted children’s lives — changes in many curriculum models, a decrease of recess, and increased time out of school spent with television shows, computers, and electronic games.”
Ms. Thompson says schools should ensure that children receive a well balanced education that includes play.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children and adolescents engage in 60-minutes of physical activity each day. Currently, the average child watches three hours of television a day, and spends another two-and-a-half hours per day engaged in non-school related media (computer games, videos, etc.), according to a recent report by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
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