Childhood is changing for the young. Covid has played its part in this, but there are also other factors. This article from the Guardian claims that “free play both at school and at home is being eroded in favour of academic, sporting and cultural activities”. Children’s opportunity to be children at school is now changing as extracurricular activities and homework take over an increasingly packed agenda. Clearly this trend is impacting their wellbeing and with two schools of thought on the subject (those focused on the academic catch-up and those on protecting their mental health and encouraging them to play more) the jury is out. The British Children’s Play survey showed that children now have to wait until they are 11 before being allowed to go outside and play on their own, two years later than when their parents´ were given permission. Research at UCL Institute of Education has shown that “school breaktimes have been curtailed over the years and are as much as an hour shorter than they were two decades ago, often filled with a range of organised activities further limiting free play”. A new balance needs to be sought that allows for positive mental health as well as a focus on grades, but without overdoing the latter.
