Summer Activities

It is June and that means most schools in the US are on summer break or soon will be. Summertime is a great time to work on executive function skills in fun ways. Did you know that unstructured play allows kids to learn in ways that structured play and activities do not? Play supports many executive function skills naturally. This can include goal setting, planning and prioritizing, emotional control, sustained attention, response inhibition, and more.

It is no surprise that kids don’t have much unstructured play anymore. When kids do have time that is not planned with activities, much of that time is spent using technology. Unstructured play is when kids use their imaginations, create with things they find, there may be a goal, but that goal is set by the child. Here is a great article from the Genius of Play (thegeniusofplay.org) about the benefits of play. They also have many links for ideas based on age and interest.

When kids play without the direction of adults they have to have a goal. They decide what they are intending to do and then have to make the plans to do it, get the materials, and deal with frustration when things don’t work out. Let’s use the activity of building a fort. This can be done inside or outside. Kids need visualize what their fort will look like. Are they using blankets and chairs, cardboard boxes, leftover wood from the garage, or sticks and leaves? How will things be held together, when that does not work they need to control their emotions to problem solve another option. They then have to gather the materials they decided on, and sustain working on it until it is finished. If they are doing this with siblings or friends, they have to navigate working together.

While this sounds counter to what you want them to do, kids may initially need some adult support to spend time in unstructured play. An adult may need to make some suggestions, show kids some pictures, ask questions about what they plan to do, what resources will they use or need, and how long they think it will take. Once they have an idea and a plan, the adult needs to step back and let them go to work. Resist the urge to help them, if they get frustrated and want to quit, ask the questions again to help them problem solve options. Don’t give them the problem solving, but guide their thinking with questions. In time, they will begin to be able to do all of this without adult support.

Let me know how your kids are having unstructured play time and share ideas!