toth newsletter february

Parent Newsletter February 2016

Unstructured Play As ToTH teachers and volunteers “loiter with intent” the children are given free access to the full perimeter of Sherwood park, and they play freely, guided by their own curiosity. Children run the track, climb the “big kid” gear, go up the high slide, and explore the fence looking out onto the street. Upon first glance it might look like our kids are unsafe, with no supervision! But the reality is, many hours of observation and communication have gone into making sure our kids are calm, aware, and safe. Guided by the idea “safety third”, we have put attention on the importance of our students’ level of calm and awareness first. During free

1st Calm

W h e n c h i l d r e n h a v e consistency with routines, environments, and ground rules, going to new places and trying new things is fun. Children who can trust their peaceful adult friends to respect them, while also keeping them safe, enter playgrounds calmly.

2nd Awareness

When children are shown around an environment, given ground rules, advised against dangers, and offered advice about navigating challenges, children are aware of sharp edges and slippery slopes. When what is OK and what is not OK is consistent, we can trust more and hover less.

3rd Safety

Children who are not calm, and not aware, are at risk of accidents. No matter how much we try to protect, give ground rules, or hover, “safety” cannot replace calm; “safety” cannot replace awareness.


play, we allow as much freedom as the child can handle. Decisions about who can go where and handle what is made on an individual, case by case basis. A child who lacks calm and awareness will have more restrictions than a child who doesn’t.

The importance of free playStudies show that children who are not offered enough time to play freely, without the suggestions and intervention of adults, show delays across the spectrum (social, emotional, physical, cognitive). More children than ever are on medication for depression and anxiety. Occupational therapists are observing children in kindergarten with delays in gross motor development, and coordination. Even weakness in the joints and muscles is increasingly common in Kindergarten. Current research on pre-school programs tells us we need to hold off on academic endeavors during early childhood and remember that movement, exploration, and curiosity should guide how we design our early childhood programs.

Solitude and Rest

Do you remember lying in grass, sitting in a tree, or gazing out a window uninterrupted? Chances are, we have plenty of those memories. There were no handheld devices, playstation, or personal laptops. Our parents felt safe to let us play alone in the backyard or investigate the woods with a neighborhood friend. Times are different now. We have to make sure that children still have opportunities to reap the rewards of:

• Day Dreaming

• Resting

• Idling

According to research published in the Atlantic (Lahey, 2013), these rewards include self- awareness, creative incubation, improvisation and evaluation, m e m o r y c o n s o l i d a t i o n , autobiographical planning, goal driven thought, future planning, retrieval of deeply personal m e m o r i e s , r e fl e c t i v e consideration of the meaning of e v e n t s a n d e x p e r i e n c e s , simulating the perspective of another person, evaluating the implications of self and others’ emotional react ions, moral r e a s o n i n g , a n d r e fl e c t i v e compassion.

(Jack’s deep satisfaction after jumping in a puddle)


When a young child heads for a steep hill, or the high slide, we often get glances that seem to say, “is this OK?” or “Are you about to stop me even though I really want to try this?” Risk taking is important and scrapes and bruises are necessary. This is our opportunity to experiment with our own boundaries, as well as theirs. We have to know what our child can handle and what she can’t. This happens through keen observation. If we can stand back and watch before we intervene we might be pleasantly surprised with our child’s level of self awareness and his/her ability to be careful.

If your child is new to a park or play area, walk around with her, hold her hand, accompany her on the slide, show her things you think are right for her size and abilities. As she gains confidence, step back and allow her to master the things you’ve shown her. She will gain confidence and inner strength as she tests her own boundaries. As she branches out and experiments with more freedom and risk-taking, practice “loitering with intent”. If you get that glance or a question about whether or not something is OK, practice using the phrase, “As long as you feel comfortable”. Then loiter and observe.

(Fiona concentrating as she goes up and down a hill with no help)

Kindergarten was originally designed by Fredrick Froebel as a place for children to move freely, explore, and tire themselves out through self directed activity. He said, “A child who plays and works thoroughly, with perseverance, until physical fatigue forbids will surely be a thorough, determined person, capable of self-sacrifice.”

If the most recently uncovered truths about early childhood teach us that certain developmental needs can only be satisfied through movement, play, experimentation, trial and error, and risk-taking, then it’s worth taking a step back and cultivating our ability to allow play and discovery.

When the weather permits, we are at the playground for an hour each ToTH session! Please come and join us, practice “loitering with intent”, and watch your child explore with great joy and confidence during this sensitive period for movement and motor development.

(Sam after running up and down the ramp freely, with a look of confidence and satisfaction)


(notes from parent ed. discussion February 2016)

Uninterrupted Play - what it is and why it is important.

“Uninterrupted play is a period of time when a child is given autonomy to self-direct 100% of her movement and choices. This play takes place in a defined space with boundaries and there can be an adult present to oversee but not interfere.

Can there be ground rules? YESCan adults also play and direct activity? NO, not if you want to be pure unstructured play. (play with your child often!!! - just also allow opportunities for independence)Can adults intervene if a child is hurt, or on the verge of being hurt? YesCan adults hover and watch closely to ensure safety? No

Let’s define “loitering with intent”.“stand or wait around idly or without apparent purpose”synonyms: linger, skulk, wait“travel indolently and with frequent pauses”"they loitered along in the sunshine, stopping at the least excuse”

When you “loiter with intent” properly - your child does not know you are watching him/her to keep him/her safe. Your child does not feel observed. Your child might often forget you are around. Your child is never interrupted during exploration, observation, curiosity, or problem solving. Your child gets the feeling you are very busy exploring on your own.

a decline in play is accompanied by:-fine and gross motor delays-impaired social skills-impaired executive functioning-delayed language skills-inability to control emotions-inability to play alone-depression-anxiety

“It's hard to imagine a time in history when children were more coddled, indulged, or protected, and yet, according to this study, there are five to eight times as many young people suffering from major depression and anxiety today than a half-century ago.” Another way of saying this is, during WWII, kids were happier.

“Preschool years are not only optimal for children to learn through play, but also a critical developmental period. If children are not given enough natural movement and play experiences, they start their academic careers with a disadvantage. They are more likely to be clumsy, have difficulty paying attention, trouble controlling their emotions, utilize poor problem-solving methods, and demonstrate difficulties with social interactions. We are consistently seeing sensory, motor, and cognitive issues pop up more and more in later childhood, partly because of inadequate opportunities to move and play at an early age.”

Between 7.1-9.0% of school aged children in Virginia/DC area are diagnosed with ADD and ADHD, in the state right below us it’s over 10%.

toth newsletter february

Documents