MCLA to screen film on importance of childhood play
NORTH ADAMS – The Education Department at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) will present a documentary film on modern childhood, “Where Do the Children Play?” on Saturday, March 1, at 10 a.m. in Bowman Hall, room 101.The hour-long screening, which is free and open to the public, will be followed by a discussion.
According to Dana Rapp, MCLA education professor, this new documentary film examines an issue of growing concern among pediatricians, mental health experts, educators, and environmentalists: more and more children are growing up today with little or no opportunity for unstructured play, especially outdoors.
“Where Do the Children Play?” evolved from Elizabeth Goodenough’s work on “secret spaces of childhood” at the University of Michigan. The film was written and directed by Christopher Cook and produced by Michigan Public Television.
“Children need free time every day to discover their own abilities, desires, and limitations,” said Goodenough, who also edited the film’s accompanying study guide. “Open-ended exploration and play in woods, fields, vacant lots, or other semi-wild spaces enhances curiosity and confidence throughout life.”
A marked decline in children’s spontaneous and creative play is a key factor in their increasing mental health problems, according to a recent statement from an international group of educators and children’s advocates. They called for “a wide-ranging and informed public dialogue about the intrinsic nature and value of play in children's healthy development.”
Their letter echoed a recent warning from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Children have far too little time for unstructured play, which leads to increased stress in their lives. Causes of the demise of play cited by the group include parental fears of “stranger danger” and the explosion of electronic entertainment—to the point of addiction for some—in the lives of today’s children. These and other issues are explored in the film.
For more information, contact Rapp, 413-662-5197, or by e-mail at drapp@mcla.edu.
