The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines "play" as a recreational activity, especially, the spontaneous activity of children.
Some believe that children are losing out on their childhood because of things like increased emphasis on academics rather than recreation. Others disagree, stating that children still play, they just do it in other ways like engaging in video or online games.
Do you think children these days are able to enjoy their childhood? How do you think the recreational activities of today's generation differ from when you were a child?
These days, children don't have enough opportunity to play, be it at home or at school.
One of the reasons why children do not play as much is because many families live in apartments that do not have any play areas such as parks around them. Another reason is that many parents are afraid for their children's security so they would not want them to play outside or play without being monitored. I have two children, and I do not let them play without supervision.
– Sandra Thaver
Malaysia
Children should have more opportunities to play at school. Many schools these days focus too much on academics. They give students a lot of assignments so they are forced to study, even when they arrive home. Children are not given the chance to relax, which causes them to be extremely stressed. Schools should find a way to balance academics with recreation for the little ones.
– Majd Abou Al Naja
Abu Dhabi
Many schools are giving a lot of schoolwork for their students to take home, which means that they are not even able to play when they arrive home because they are too busy focusing on their academic workload. Some students are even forced to remain on school campus after hours as a punishment. Because they are so stressed, they are deprived of a childhood.
– Khalid Al Khateeb
Abu Dhabi
Nowadays, children are forced to study a lot. Because their parents are busy working, they are not able to spend time together as a family to relax and have fun. In school, because there is so much focus on studying, the children lose out on the chance to play. One way to make sure that they are able to have fun would be to build parks that children can access.
– Iyyappen Subramanian
Ajman
Young people learn coordination and communication through playing.
When young people learn how to accept different views, it helps them mature as people. When they are playing a good game, it teaches them both manners and how to deal with difficult situations. Things like team sports teach children good sportsmanship and how to work in a group. They debate different suggestions, which enhances their communication skills. What they learn in their youth helps in situations when they are adults.
– Krishna Kumar
Dubai
It helped me learn how to deal with other people. When children play together they are exposed to each other's different opinions on various topics. They learn to give and take, which helps them acquire skills such as how to work in a team. I noticed as a child that many of my classmates made friends based on their mutual hobbies, and those interactions probably helped them as adults.
– Zoheb Saleem
Dubai
It helps them build their social skills. The more active you are as a child, the more active you will be as an adult, because those experiences will give you the tools you need in the future. Also, a child's character is revealed while they are playing and you can tell who is a leader and who is a follower based on the way they communicate with each other.
– Salwa Al Obaidli
Dubai
Any skills that an adult has, they had learnt it as a child while playing with their friends. Any experience that they had as children influences the way they grow up in terms of character and skills. When they play, children learn the dynamics of interacting with others and how to communicate with others, whether it's to argue a point of view or compromise on what to do.
– Sara Boudal
Dubai
Parents pushing for academic success have destroyed the culture of play.
Parents are always focusing on their child's education. They keep pushing their children hard to study and achieve the grades that the parents want them to obtain. If a child does not do as well or get a good grade, the parents punish them by not allowing them to play. When they do that, they destroy the culture of play for their children.
– Rabie Khatib
Abu Dhabi
It depends on the culture and background of the child's family. Many parents may push their children to study hard so that they can be successful and have a good understanding of the world around them. Because of that, it may cause some children to lose out on the chance to have fun. But there are also children who are able to balance studies with play.
– Jameel Ahmad
Dubai
I noticed that many children spend a lot of time playing. They are either playing things like video games or go outside to play sports with other children. I do not think that parents really force their children to focus only on studies. They allow them the chance to have fun by letting them do what they enjoy. My parents always let me play as a child.
– Sakeer Amblathveedtil
Dubai
My wife is a teacher so she always tries to tutor my son when he gets home from school. That causes him to be upset because he does not have enough time to play. Because students are given a lot of schoolwork and their parents keep pushing them to be the best, they do not have a chance to have fun.
– Lijimon Joseph
Umm Al Quwain
Computer games have damaged children's skills to play together.
Children's social skills have been harmed as a result of playing too many computer games. Because of computers, they do not know how to mingle and play with each other. While the computer is a part of our daily lives, steps should be taken to protect children from its harmful influence. The responsibility of parents is to teach their children things that they need to succeed, like social ethics.
– Jyaur Rahman
Abu Dhabi
Most of the popular computer games available in the market only impart violence to young children. Children today lack peer group interaction and this results in the absence of social values among them. Nowadays, you can see children engaged in such games almost everywhere. Everyone has to sit down and formulate a strategy to combat this. Otherwise, we will only have ‘e-children' in the place of cute naughty ones.
– Rajeev M.
Sharjah
In this century practically everyone uses a computer, even children. Because of this, parents should be careful about their children's use of computers and keep an eye on the type of games that they play. There are some games that can help children develop different skills, even social ones because they interact with others on the internet. But if the games were misused then they would be very harmful to them.
– Maya Droubi
Abu Dhabi
Computer games bring people from all over the world to play simultaneously. Even if children are not playing online, they go to their friends' houses or to internet cafes to play online games. There are also games that focus on educational matters, which make learning a happy experience.
– Rakan Al Maheini
Abu Dhabi
