Making Play Time a Priority for Kids Learning Remotely

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”

      ~ Old Proverb

Sometimes there is just no substitute for buckling down, putting our noses to the grindstone and completing the job. It’s a lesson that children need to learn, but that doesn’t mean life is all about work. In many ways, play time is just as important. And as with many things in life, there should be a balance.

If you’re the parent of a child who is learning remotely, that balance can be tough to find. Your child is at home, without the normal structure that being in school provides. Your first thought may be to impose that structure. You may even think of it as a benefit, since without the distraction of coming and going to school or dealing with classmates, your child should be able to get more learning done. 

While structure is good, resist the urge to push too hard. Allow some play time in there too. Play time isn’t even necessarily wasted time. Play frees the mind to think creatively and to apply new approaches to problem solving. Even if you’re playing a game, you still have to use your head. You have to learn and interpret the rules, use strategy and think on your feet. The skills we develop from play are often just as important to our eventual success as the ones we get from a book.

Strive to find that perfect balance between work and play for your child. You may have to work at it, and even adjust it, but if you’re successful, your Jack (or Jill) will be anything but dull.