Play and Back to School

Back-to-school time often means leaving behind the carefree, active, unstructured play that kids enjoy during the summer months. How can we ensure kids have plenty of imaginative, self-directed playtime during the school year? Here are some ideas from Museum staff and friends:

• A great list of resources that the Museum's educators put together for Kidoinfo. There are some good blogs to read but also inspiration for fun activities for kids to do on their own or with their families.

• See the play resources page on our website. The ones listed are websites and online articles but you can also download our Play Power resource sheet, which includes books and films.

• From our friends at KaBOOM!, 5 reasons children need to play in school. Also take their Pledge to Save Play in Our Schools! 

• Join us on Tuesday, October 4 from 6:30 - 8:00 PM for Kids, Play and Risk: a community conversation, about the importance of children's unstructured, self-directed play and the benefits of risk-taking to their healthy development.

• And if we don't encourage unstructured play now, what might the future hold? Here's an idea.

Happy Playing!