Tags
allergies, bring back play, environment, environmental allergies, national play strategy, parks, parks and recreation, play, play initiative, play outdoors, recreation, sun sensitivity, sunburn, unstructured play' national play initiative
Perhaps I AM getting old and reflecting back on my younger, and much more care-free days is just part of the process. Or it’s because I’m a parent and I’m lamenting on all the things that my kids are missing or seem to be missing in their experience as toddlers in the city. Or it’s because as I experience more, I seem to value more and more the many wonderful things nature and the environment can offer us. And I know part of it is because I work in a sector that is trying to revive outdoor play, and letting kids actually PLAY outside.
What in the world am I talking about? I am talking about bringing nature back into our lives, and letting kids play….and not just play, but play outdoors, play the fun games we played outside like red-rover, riding our bikes to the park, and kicking the ball or balls in the backyard. These are things that I want my kids to experience. But at least for my family, it’s more complicated than just letting the kids go out to play.
My little girl sunburns very easily. How easily? Well, she can get sunburned in 15 minutes with the UV rating at 3 or 4. I know because it’s happened, so she doesn’t get to play outdoors in the middle of the day. When she goes outside and it is sunny (or even cloudy) she wears a wide-brimmed hat. We keep sunblock in our bag at all times and have some at home. We cannot enroll her in outdoor activities although I’m sure she would love it. She loves to play, like all kids. But it’s not as simple as letting our kids play outside.
As a care-giver, I too cannot go outside at times. I am allergic to grass. I also have allergies to trees. Going outside when someone has mowed their lawn is not a pleasant experience with me. When my husband mows the lawn, I am usually not home, or I stay indoors with windows closed, even though it may be 25 Celsius. When he is done, he changes his clothes and leaves them outside before he comes in, and immediately proceeds to the shower. My husband also has seasonal allergies. Before opening any windows in the house, we always have to check with each other how we are doing. It is not as simple as letting our kids play outside, because if we can’t go outside for a walk with the kids, then the kids can’t go outside.
Where are all these thoughts coming from? They come from reading comments about outdoor programs disappearing from some communities, and comments about urban areas not understanding the importance of environment in recreation, and about the importance of bringing nature into play. I am well aware of these things, but if recreation programs transform into mostly outdoor programs, you will not see my kids there, and I think a lot of kids who suffer from allergies, and parents who worry about sun-burn will not bring their kids there. Recreation professionals should do well to recognize that there are other issues that parents and caregivers take into consideration in whether their kids play outside, or whether they enroll their kids into outdoors programs.
Maybe I do worry too much about my kids, but I already feel enough guilt every time my little girl gets a sunburn because we wanted to walk to the park or the library, and I feel enough guilt that I don’t let her go to the park in the afternoon when she wants to, or when I can’t enroll her in a summer soccer program because they play outdoors. Letting my kids play outdoors involves more than just taking them outside and watching them.
There are many mental and physical health benefits to play, especially unstructured play. But I also have to consider all the risks that are involved every time we want to go outside to “play”.