Global School Play day
FRIDAY AFTERNOON, February 9, 2024
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
Across the country, there have been many discussions about the importance of unstructured play and the role that it plays in a child’s life. Play is defined by the Encyclopedia of Children’s Health as the work of children. It consists of those activities performed for self-amusement that have behavioral, social, and psychomotor rewards. It is child-directed, and the rewards come from within the individual child; it is enjoyable and spontaneous.
Research has shown that unstructured play helps a child’s physical and mental health by fostering language development, empathy, resilience, problem solving skills, and independent learning skills. Through play, children’s independence is increased and they learn how to think and plan without an adult telling them what to do. This is especially true today in the age of Covid and the changes that followed.
In 2015, a small group of educators took action and created Global School Play Day because of their concern that adults and technology were encroaching on playtime for children. In 2020, over 563,000 students from 72 nations were registered as part of the Global School Play Day movement. Jacobson Elementary will be joining in with the Global School Play Day this year on February 9th. It will be a day of awareness, promoting the importance of regular, unstructured play for children!
GLOBAL SCHOOL PLAY DAY - What is it?
Started in 2015, Global School Play Day is one day set aside for students to do nothing but play in the afternoon.. On their website, (click on link to learn more) GSPD organizers urge teachers to follow three simple guidelines:
No Screens or devices: Students are encouraged to bring toys, but electronic toys or any devices with screens should be avoided.
No Structure: Adults should not attempt to organize or structure student play in any way. Students can use the art and music rooms, along with areas around the school, and outside, to maximize the number of activities that are available.
Stay Out of the Way: Adults should let students manage their own play and should not interfere except in situations where someone could get hurt.
PLAY DAY STARTS AT HOME- Allow your child(ren) to select items that follow the guidelines to play with on February 9th. You can remind them to bring toys and supervise that selection, but let them choose what they want to play with on Friday.
PLAY MEANS PLAY!!!- LET’S HAVE SOME FUN!!
Mark Young, Jacobson Elementary Principal