Seeking Balance in Motion: The Role of Spontaneous Free Play in Promoting Social and Emotional Health in Early Childhood Care and Education

Abstract

There is accumulating scientific evidence of the potential of play and playfulness to enhance human capacity to respond to adversity and cope with the stresses of everyday life. In play we build a repertoire of adaptive, flexible responses to unexpected events, in an environment separated from the real consequences of those events. Playfulness helps us maintain social and emotional equilibrium in times of rapid change and stress. Through play, we experience flow—A feeling of being taken to another place, out of time, where we have controlled of the world. This paper argues that spontaneous free play, controlled and directed by children and understood from the child’s perspective, contributes to children’s subjective experience of well-being, building a foundation for life-long social and emotional health. The paradoxical nature of young children’s spontaneous free play is explored. Adaptability, control, flexibility, resilience and balance result from the experience of uncertainty, unpredictability, novelty and non-productivity. These essential dimensions of young children’s spontaneous free play typically produce play which is experienced by adults as chaotic, nonsensical and disruptive. The article concludes with a preliminary discussion of the challenges and possibilities of providing for spontaneous free play indoors, in early childhood care and education programs.

Characteristics of staff–child interaction in 1–3-year-olds’ risky play in early childhood education and care

“…Close participation might also increase the chance of detecting unwanted behaviour such as 'subtle bullying', which could be difficult to identify by simply observing (Alsaker & Valkanover, 2012). There is also an intrinsic value of adults and children sharing experiences (Hewes, 2014).…”

“…Ultimately, regardless of developmental outcome, play is a natural part of children's experience and children do not play consciously for learning purposes, rather, from the child's perspective, the experience of play has intrinsic value (Hewes, 2014;Lillemyr, 2009;Sutton-Smith, 2009). Therefore, in this study, children's play is interpreted as both an activity that is valuable in its own right and as an activity with potential benefits for development and/or learning.…”

Reclaiming streets for outdoor play: A process and impact evaluation of “Juega en tu Barrio” (Play in your Neighborhood), an intervention to increase physical activity and opportunities for play

“…Its characteristics such as adventure, freedom, pleasure, creativity, and risk, are essential for healthy learning and growth, as well as necessary for physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development [18]. As Alexander et al [19] highlight, play is an activity with benefits which include, but are not limited to, an increase in PA. Play’s broader contributions beyond physical health, such as social health and emotional well-being [20,21] are consistent with the World Health Organization’s definition of health as a state of complete social and mental as well as physical well-being [22]. However, a range of factors during the last two decades have diminished children’s participation in play and spontaneous activities [23].…”

Os benefícios do brincar para a saúde das crianças: uma revisão sistemática

“…Sakamoto (22) highlights the value of play as a strategy for a healthy development and an experience that greatly influence humans psychic health. Hewes (32) considers there is sufficient evidence to support that spontaneous free play has positive influences on mental and physical health in early childhood. The spontaneous free play promotes self-control, flexibility, resilience, adaptability and emotional balance in early childhood, which contributes to social and emotional health throughout life.…”