Monday is National Child Day.
It’s been celebrated on Nov. 20 across Canada since 1993 to commemorate the United Nations’ adoption of two documents centred on children’s rights: the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Celebrating National Child Day is about celebrating children as active participants in their own lives and in communities as active citizens who can and should meaningfully contribute to decision-making.
But it’s more than that, it’s also a reminder that children need to play. Play is a natural experience for most children but the influence of screen time has affected the natural opportunity for it to occur.
While some would argue screen time is good for children, many experts would disagree.
Play, by definition, is an activity freely chosen. It is self directed, with no prescribed outcome. When children have opportunities to play – really play – they are becoming confident, problem solvers.
When children play with other children they are learning life skills, communicating their ideas and developing empathy. Children sharing creative experiences develop opportunities to bring their ideas to life.
Play supports children’s mental well-being. As they play they help to make sense of feelings and emotions. When children are given time, opportunity and materials to play they can practise new developmental skills. These skills are necessary to support a child’s development and health.
According to one expert, the decline of play in children can be linked to increase in depression and anxiety in children. Play is a powerful tool to support children’s understanding of the world and allows them to feel in control.
As we get ready to celebrate National Child Day be playful with your child. Let them be the leaders in play. Look for those opportunities to play with boxes, water, sand, crayons, blocks, books or whatever you imagination can come up with. Ask your child what would they like to play, or better yet watch your child play and ask if you can join in. When we join in play and let them be the leaders we can have fun. Play and being playful is good for our well-being too.