New research shows that children who aren’t regularly submersed in natural play may have negative outcomes later in their lives, IndianExpress.com reports.
According The American Journal of Play, a group of experts investigated the lack of free play and how it effects children and society in general.
“Over the last 50 years, opportunities for children to play freely have declined dramatically in the United States and other developed nations,” Peter Gray, professor of psychology at Boston College, said in the journal. “That decline continues, with serious negative consequences for children’s physical, mental, and social development.”
Other experts involved in the study found that without outdoor play, children have a higher risk of developing obesity and may have trouble socializing. They may not understand how to “pretend,” or work with other children.
Lenore Skenazy, author of Free-Range Kids, claims that overprotective parents, too many after-school activities and the increasing popularity of computer and video games have led to the growing problem of raising children that are unhealthy.
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