Outdoor play activities 'should be made a priority in the UK'
06/07/2010 Outdoor play activities should be a priority for young children to ensure they develop the skills needed to learn, according to one expert.
Writing for the Independent, Sue Palmer, a former head teacher and the author of Toxic Childhood, said that the current system of placing very young children in formal education is leading to issues with underachievement.
Ms Palmer said that learning to read and write at the age of four or five can create particular problems for boys, who are generally "developmentally behind girls".
"They need opportunities to develop their spoken language and plenty of active play to develop the physical control and coordination they'll need for writing," she explained.
The expert went on to suggest that the UK should follow in the footsteps of countries like Finland, which focus on outdoor play activities, music, art and drama when educating young children.
Fears have also been expressed recently that a lack of outdoor play activities is having a negative impact on child development.
Irene Gunning, chief executive of the Irish Preschool Playgroup Association, said that kids who are deprived of the opportunity to play will not learn how to "figure out things for themselves".
Writing for the Independent, Sue Palmer, a former head teacher and the author of Toxic Childhood, said that the current system of placing very young children in formal education is leading to issues with underachievement.
Ms Palmer said that learning to read and write at the age of four or five can create particular problems for boys, who are generally "developmentally behind girls".
"They need opportunities to develop their spoken language and plenty of active play to develop the physical control and coordination they'll need for writing," she explained.
The expert went on to suggest that the UK should follow in the footsteps of countries like Finland, which focus on outdoor play activities, music, art and drama when educating young children.
Fears have also been expressed recently that a lack of outdoor play activities is having a negative impact on child development.
Irene Gunning, chief executive of the Irish Preschool Playgroup Association, said that kids who are deprived of the opportunity to play will not learn how to "figure out things for themselves".
