This weekend, while taking a break from my quilt-making to watch the Draft, I saw a commercial from the NFL. The gist of the commercial encouraged kids to get out from behind the television/computer/game console, and go outside and play. Three different NFL players were showcased playing four square and other such playground activities.
This is nice. It’s encouraging. Until the commercial gets to an NFL player saying this:
“If you need ideas about playing, log on to (insert website here). Just don’t stay too long!”
(I only saw the commercial once, so I don’t remember the players or the website.)
Um..are you kidding me? What ever happened to the good ole’ days of sending kids outside and letting them be creative and make up games? Are you telling me that kids today have gotten the creativity beat out of them so badly we have to encourage them to log on to a website to get ideas on how to play?
This is actually a small part of a larger irk that I have. Granted, I’ve only been teaching at the college level for a couple of years, and I have a limited knowledge about what goes on in high schools/no child left behind, but I’ve started to see the results as kids come in to my classroom and before I even start giving a class overview, they’re asking about tests, and what tests will be like, and how much they are worth…blah blah blah. I try to tell them that it’s not about the test (especially in a public speaking course) and the look of panic comes in to their eyes. Have we really stifled the creative thinking in our kids this much? This scares me.
I’m not a mom, but when I am, you can rest assured that my child will NOT be logging on to any website to find out how to play outside. I’ll happily let them roll around in the dirt if it means they can create their own games to play.
Oh this is something that bothers me greatly. My oldest is 10. I swear telling him to go outside to play is like PUNISHMENT. He almost cries some days!! Seriously? I would have loved to go out and play and have the freedom he does! (I have an enclosed neighborhood with friends on all 4 corners, it’s a ’safe’ zone) I’m hoping that my youngest two don’t end up like that…it drives me crazy!
By: SadieCass on April 28, 2008
at 11:34 pm
That makes me sad… children should be able to and love the prospect of playing. I think back to when I was younger and try to remember what on earth I would do when I was playing. Made up the most random stuff, but that’s the beauty of imagination at that age. As much as I’m techno-dependent (and won’t let go to save anything), all of that needs to be absolutely balanced with things that encourage kids to be kids. To grow in ways at that time that they won’t be able to replicate later… *sigh*
By: LJ on April 29, 2008
at 8:10 am
I am so with you on this… don’t get my wrong I let my kids watch tv and play games on the computer and the Wii and stuff… but most of the day (if the weather is permitting) they are outside just being kids. doing what kids do, and playing like kids. They play alll sorts of things, from cooking with sand, rocks and grass in their buckets to sliding down the slide at a circus and doing magic tricks to being firemen and also playing chase and monster and all that… the three of them are always amazing me with the great ideas and games they come up with… it is a pleasure to watch them outside playing and running and most of all enjoying one another and laughing till their cheeks and sides are sore.
we have trampoline, a playground/swingset thing, an old pop-up camper and a bunch of outside toys — little lawn mowers, bikes, buckets, shovels, balls, bats, trucks and they LOVE it… this is the BEST time of year for all of us b/c they don’t have to be stuck in the house. But even when we are inside the tv isn’t always on… it isn’t on right now and my girls are playing nicely with some baby dolls and some pretend coins.
a website to get ideas on how to play is the most ridiculous and funny thing I have ever heard of… what is next??
have a good day!!
xoxoxo Jenn
By: jenn on April 29, 2008
at 8:31 am
[...] the neighborhood, we used to play all day long outside (you know, before the Internet was around to tell us how to play?). One of the games we played was sardines – which is like reverse hide and seek. One person hides, [...]
By: Growing up « A Yank Gone South on May 22, 2008
at 2:35 am