Children & Nature network

Canadian Film Explores Importance of Free Play

CTV – March 05, 2009

Remember the wild, unfettered play time of childhood past? Those days are all but lost. 'Lost Adventures of Childhood' is a new one-hour original CTV documentary from filmmaker Scott Harper that explores how childhood on lockdown is stunting the way children learn and grow.

For generations, kids played freely in the streets of their neighbourhoods, creating their own games and socializing without supervision. Today, unstructured play has all but vanished thanks to a steady stream of terrifying news reports on abductions, school shootings, law suits and sliding academic performance. The simple pleasures of being a child at play - free from minivan chauffeuring, GPS tracking, and most importantly, parents - has disappeared from modern society. Free play has been replaced by activity that is structured and supervised. 'Lost Adventures of Childhood' looks at the impact of all this on the kids themselves.

Harper, along with a host of experts on play, presents scientific findings that suggest the 21st century cloistering of children cripples everything from literacy and creativity to social acumen and mental health. 'Lost Adventures of Childhood' makes a powerful case that free play is not a glorious time waster but possibly the key to the healthy development of a child's mind, and the path to a productive adulthood.

"When it comes to children, a lot of parents today are absolutely marinated in fear," says producer and director Scott Harper. "Childhood has entered an era of stealth management, and the science on the subject is warning us that a hyper-managed childhood may well spell catastrophe in the long run."

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