(for example, you might discuss one reason why this free-play time is important cognitively, and then two reasons why it’s important socioemotionally).

This week, we covered a number of topics from early childhood into adolescence. From the readings, videos, and lectures/powerpoints, we discussed physical, cognitive, and socioemotional development. One thing that was hopefully apparent is that many aspects of development are not set in stone. How children are raised, whether in terms of gender socialization, activity level, or educational achievement, varies over time and between cultures. Go back 150 years in this country alone, and you find both male and female toddlers being dressed in clothing we would now identify as being feminine, attending only a relatively few years in school before entering into the workforce, and even starting puberty several years later than in the present day.
Some factors have improved over time, while others may have worsened, such as the amount of physical activity and exercise children and adolescents engage in. This reduced physical activity in the present day, paired with higher calorie, higher sodium, and higher trans-fat diets has likely contributed to rising rates of childhood and adolescent obesity. Outside of helping to manage weight, active physical play may also have other cognitive and social benefits, helping children’s brains develop faster in terms of coordination and forming friendships and bonds. Despite these benefits, several states in this country don’t require or heavily restrict recess breaks in schools. Even into adolescence, a focusing in on physical education based around fitness and exercise as opposed to a heavier focus on sports and play may also sap motivation and be somewhat ineffective at improving health and wellbeing.
Given all of this, consider the following hypothetical situation. You’ve just learned that a local preschool program plans to eliminate all free-play time so that children can spend more time working on spelling, reading, and math. The program currently allows 2 hours of free-play time, both inside and outside, throughout the 6-hour day, but if the programming changes, children will no longer have this opportunity. You decide to write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper, opining on this planned change. Your letter will focus in on two of the developmental domains (physical, cognitive, and socioemotional). Using both the textbook along with outside resources, write a short letter covering at least three points related to these two developmental domains. (For example, you might discuss one reason why this free-play time is important cognitively, and then two reasons why it’s important socioemotionally).

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