How Children Play Today Compared To When I Was A Kid

Disclosure:  I have been compensated for this blog post.  All of my opinions in this article are my own.

Many times you hear people saying to kids these days, “When I was a kid your age, we didn’t have phones like those to play on”.  Or “When I was a kid we played outside until the streetlights came on”.  Well, yes that may be true; but I am trying hard as a parent to teach my kids how to have fun and play, like when I was a kid.

What We Played 40 Years Ago

While kids have devices today to play with like video game consoles, iPads, mobile phones, and computers; there were devices similar to those when I was growing up.  They just weren’t as portable.

We had cable TV (with the box that had a lever for three rows of channels and a long cord to reach the couch).  We had Atari or ColecoVision.  And if we were really lucky, we had a smaller device called the QuizWhiz.  That was a BIG deal for me when I got one for my birthday.

But our parents also made us play outside.  I can distinctly remember summer vacations from school.  We were outside all day until the sun went down.  We rode our bikes and played C.H.I.P.S. with the screw-on battery-operated siren on our bike handlebar.  To make our bikes sound like motorcycles, we used clothes pins and playing cards to clip them to our bikes.

We made forts in the woods and climbed trees.  We played house in the shed or played ice cream store.  Whatever our imaginations led us to that day.  We also played with Barbie dolls and stuffed animals.  Or played dress-up with my best friend’s mom’s clothes and heels when she was at work.

Then as I got older and my parents got us a pool, we spent our summer days synchronized swimming with my boom box in the backyard.  Sometimes we even got to put up a tent in the back yard and my best friend slept over in the tent with me!

I vividly remember playing outside all seasons of the year.  We really only played in the house on rainy days or if it was colder in the winter.  That’s the way I am trying to raise my children now.

How Children Play Today

I am trying to raise my kids similar to the way I was brought up.  I know how children play today varies by each family and their parents.  Some children may have access to devices, computers, gaming consoles.  I feel, that as parents, we also have the control on how much they use them.

Just like when my mom made is play outside, I make my kids play outside.  Especially when they start fighting with each other. There’s something about getting them outside and moving that tends to make them forget what they were fighting over and they get along again.

This is how I do it.  I don’t know that it is the case with all children today; but I’m trying to set a solid foundation so my children have a good balance of school, play, homework, and screen time.

From the time my son was about 18 months old, we were outside all bundled up in snow clothes to shovel the snow off the driveway.  His cheeks would be all red and his nose would run, but we were getting our dose of fresh air and exercise!  Then my daughter was born and I would do the same with her.  No matter what the season, we all went outside.

Even now as my children are 10 and 11 years old, they spend the majority of their time outdoors when they get home from school.  My son has a very hard time doing any homework right after school; because he learned when he was in his early years in school that we played first, then came in and did homework after dinner when it was dark out.

I also see that children now want things instantly.  We can thank Amazon for that, in my case.  If I need something I no longer drive to Target or Wal-Mart to get what I need, I pull up good old Amazon Prime and it’ll be here in 2 days!

I am trying to teach them about patience.  That they can’t have whatever they want right away.  If they want a particular toy or access to a game, they have to earn it.  I do have the children do chores, but for special things, we don’t just buy it and give it to them.  They are learning the value of money and appreciating what we already have.

It’s About A Healthy Balance

To be honest, I don’t think kids today are much different from when I was younger, it’s about how you parent them.  Sure, you can give them a phone and not set time limits, or let them have all access to their PlayStation or Xbox.  But the devices aren’t what are hurting the kids. It’s the lack of control.  As a parent, we need to make sure they have a healthy balance of playtime, person-to-person time and reading, exercise, and study time.

The Genius of Play

I had the pleasure of meeting an incredible organization while at the BloggyCon Conference.  They are called The Genius of Play.  I loved their purpose the minute we started talking.

When you visit thegeniusofplay.org you can learn about the six benefits of play.  It’s important for the development of a well-rounded child.  Check out their site for much more information on why play is important, the different activities you can do with your children for any age group, and so much more!  If you are like me and love to play, you are going to love this site!