Unstructured Play: Why Kids Need It

Play, without technology, is one of the best ways to develop a child’s mental and physical ability. Learn why you need to schedule 1 to 2 hours of independent, unstructured play into your child’s daily routine.

Want your children to be doing something educational? Then let them play! Play is the natural way children learn. It’s one of the best ways for children to develop and strengthen their mental and physical abilities.

But not just any kind of play. Children need lots of independent, unstructured play. This type of play does not include watching TV, playing video games, or using any type of technology. Independent play is simply when your children play alone or with siblings or friends, but without adult intervention.

Research shows that play literally develops strong and widespread neural connections in a growing child’s brain. One study found that brain connections in animals actuall