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<p align="center"><b><font face="Verdana" size="5" color="#0000FF">Eat
Well/Be Fit</font></b></p>
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<font face="Verdana" size="4">The Importance Of Play</font></b></p>
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<font face="Verdana" size="2">Written by, Patricia Carey, Director</font></p>
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<font face="Verdana" size="2">Needham Park and Recreation Commission, Eat
Well Be Fit Committee Member.</font></p>
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<font face="Verdana" size="1">Without knowing all the reasons behind the
decision, the news was heard around the country that a town near Needham
has �banned tag� from its school playgrounds. A concern for safety was
stated, but is that enough to totally stop an experience? Tag is the
foundation for many games played in childhood, and actually is the basis
for some of the favorite professional sports, including football and
baseball! Play, itself, is a vital component in the development of a
child, and Needham can be a catalyst in keeping play important in the
daily lives of all children. <br>
<br>
In November of 1989, the United Nations ratified the �Convention on
Children�s Rights.� Article 31 provides for the right of all children to
�rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities
appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in
cultural life and the arts.� <br>
<br>
Unstructured play, typically what is seen at recess or in backyards, is
the process that allows children to participate in meaningful learning,
and is most likely the most important type of play to be part of a
child�s life. In order to have fun, children talk through problems, plan
behavior, and reason about concepts, such as cause and effect. What�s
most important to children is that they aren�t even aware that they are
experiencing an educational moment each time they participate in
unstructured play! Adults need to remember the importance of
unstructured play, to insure that it continues in each child�s life on a
daily basis! <br>
<br>
Play is an active form of learning, and most children, through the
elementary school years, learn best when the whole self is involved,
including the mind, the body and each individual�s spirit and passion.
Using play as a vehicle for learning without direct adult involvement is
often less stressful, allowing children to strive a bit harder to
succeed on their own. <br>
<br>
During play, children can experiment on different skills, and observe
others trying to develop the same skills, including cooperating,
helping, sharing, and solving problems. Emotions that aren�t easily put
into words can be shown through play. <br>
<br>
Each individual�s perception of the world is developed through use of
his/her senses. How something looks, feels, smells, sounds and tastes
are incorporated into that perception. When playing with wooden blocks,
think of how they feel, how they tremble when stacked too high, how they
sound when they crash to the ground. Often, when one sense is deficient,
the other senses become stronger to compensate. Someone without a sense
of smell doesn�t know that a beach is nearby, but can use the sense of
sight to notice sand along the side of the road. But what happens when
the majority of senses are not utilized on a daily basis? Are the
learning outcomes the same when watching a video of a character playing
with blocks or using a computer program? <br>
<br>
The challenge for Needham is to find a daily balance between learning
opportunities that are structured and those experiences only requiring
minimal senses. Make sure to include non-structured activities that are
directed by individual children and require use of the body, the mind
and all of the senses. Read the book �Stone Soup� and then make homemade
vegetable soup together as a family. Get a map and directions to the
Needham Town Forest, and then visit to try out some of the walking
trails, climb High Rock, or visit Kingsbury Ledge at the adjacent
Claxton Field. Ask some older long-time residents about Mario �Mike�
DeFazio before going to participate in organized sports. <br>
<br>
What about adults and play? It still has a level of importance, though
maybe for different reasons! Without question, play can reduce the
stress at work or home. The level of competition involved in play is up
to each individual, but can benefit some and relieve stress, or cause
increased stress in others. Play can challenge an adult to try something
never experienced or that causes fear, and lead to the triumph of
achievement. Participating in child-directed play can create a stronger
bond between parent and child. <br>
<br>
So, Needham � let�s declare 2007 the Year of Play in Needham. Let�s
balance daily lives to incorporate play in with work, studies,
technology, and health. <br>
<br>
Tag � you�re it! </font></p>
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<font face="Verdana" size="1">Patricia Carey is the Director of the
Needham Park and Recreation Commission. She is also an active member of
Eat Well/Be Fit Needham, a committee dedicated to improving the health
and well-being of Needham residents. This town-wide committee is
composed of concerned professionals consisting of the Needham Health
Department, Needham Public Schools, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital
Needham, Nutritionists, Physicians, Needham Park and Recreation
Commission, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and local
residents and businesses. For more information, contact the Needham
Health Department.</font><!--mstheme--></font></td>
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