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Play is an important part of a child’s physical, emotional and social development, yet many external factors can quickly become barriers to active play including busy schedules, technology and the costs of sports equipment. A survey conducted by Dr Pepper Snapple Group’s Let’s Play initiative, which is dedicated to getting kids and their families active, found that only 33 percent of children are participating in active play daily, down from 41 percent in 2015.

Don’t let barriers get in the way of keeping kids active during the school year. Instead, turn those barriers to play into opportunities to get active with the following tips.

Fill down time with play time: Children’s active play time is impacted by busy schedules – 64 percent of parents said busy schedules were a barrier to play this year, up from 56 percent in 2015. Active play doesn’t have to happen all at once; it can be spread out through the day so try fitting it in when you can, even if it’s in 10-minute increments. Waiting with your kids at a bus stop? Make it active by playing a game of Simon Says. Need 10 minutes to get ready to leave the house? Send the kids outside to play before loading up the car.

Make DIY toys: Sports equipment can be pricey to purchase and maintain. Instead of breaking the bank, try recycling objects around the house to make them into toys. You can make old socks into a hacky-sack game by filling them with beans or fill balloons with sand and create a fun game where you toss the balloons into buckets.

Get wired for play: According to the survey, 78 percent of parents said their children spend more than 30 minutes on an average day watching television and 71 percent said their children spend that time on a computer, smartphone or other device. Instead of letting technology get in the way, incorporate play into their time with technology. Have your child play an active video game that encourages players to move around their environment or try playing a game between TV commercials, such as tag or hide and seek. It can also help to set a limit for how long your child can use the computer or watch TV per day.

Be your kid’s playmate: According to the survey, 53 percent of parents said having no playmates was a barrier to their child’s play. No one likes to play alone, so when siblings and friends aren’t available, join in on the fun and create games you and your child can play together. Whether it’s playing Marco Polo or throwing a baseball back and forth, you can find ways to spend quality time with your kids and have fun while doing it.

Learn more about the importance of play and get tips and advice for how to make active play a daily priority at LetsPlay.com.

*FF *Photo courtesy of Getty Images

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If you have children it’s likely they’ve made friends with other kids who live nearby in and around your neighborhood. It can be tricky to have new children in your home as your house rules may be quite different than what they’re used to in their own homes.

I’ve put together a few tips that will help make play dates in your home enjoyable while ensuring neighborhood friends understand your household rules, too!

Be the Parent: It’s time to worry less about being considered the “mean parent” and worry more about doing what you think is right and will work best for you and your household. First and foremost, you should be the parent, not always the friend. When they refer to you as mean or the mean parent, you’re likely not actually even being mean; you should just be setting a standard and asking your child’s friends to follow the rules of your house. They might consider you mean because they aren’t able to get away with things they’re used to getting away with at their own home or elsewhere. Remember to not be overly harsh – they’re just kids after all. Also, it’s okay to have fun and play along when appropriate; however, when a boundary is crossed make sure everyone knows what the rules are and what to expect in the future.

Set the Boundaries: When a new child comes to your home for the first time sit down with them and discuss your house rules such as: always ring the doorbell and wait to be let inside, dinner time is family time and unless they’re having a sleepover they’ll need to go to their own homes for dinner, homework must be complete before playtime starts, they’re only allowed to watch 30 minutes of television before switching to a different activity, etc. Whatever your rules may be, explain them to the new child before setting them loose as a new neighborhood friend! 

Be Consistent: When a new neighborhood friend breaks your rules and comes busting through the front door unannounced during dinner time, it’ll be up to you to calmly handle the situation. I suggest standing up, letting the child know it’s dinner time and your child won’t be able to play at the moment before proceeding to walk the child home reminding them on the way home that after a certain time at night it’s no longer play time as you have rules and routines in your home, and if they want to play they’ll have to try again tomorrow – before dinner time. Always handle these situations gently and with extra caution, as once again they’re just children, and they’re not your children. For all you know they live a completely different lifestyle and are having a hard time understanding or adapting to yours.

Good luck and happy parenting!

Daddy Nickell

Daddy Nickell, father of 7, founder of Daddyscrubs.com and the Daddyscrubs parenting blog.

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