Learning things from other children a 'benefit of outdoor play activities'
10/08/2009 Spending time with together during outdoor play activities or other pastimes can help children learn many things about each other, it has been claimed.
According to developmental psychologist Dr Nadja Reissland of the University of Durham, when children play together in groups they learn about competition and how to take other people's feelings into account.
"Learning these abilities they practice real life in a relatively safe environment. Children's humour differs from that of adults so children can have lots of fun with their peers and they can learn what is acceptable in a group," she said.
Dr Reissland's comments come after a survey from Play England highlighted that more than half of parents feel that work or other commitments limit the time they have to play with their children.
It was also found that pressures such as homework and extra-curricular activities can impact on the time children have to indulge in outdoor play activities.
According to developmental psychologist Dr Nadja Reissland of the University of Durham, when children play together in groups they learn about competition and how to take other people's feelings into account.
"Learning these abilities they practice real life in a relatively safe environment. Children's humour differs from that of adults so children can have lots of fun with their peers and they can learn what is acceptable in a group," she said.
Dr Reissland's comments come after a survey from Play England highlighted that more than half of parents feel that work or other commitments limit the time they have to play with their children.
It was also found that pressures such as homework and extra-curricular activities can impact on the time children have to indulge in outdoor play activities.
