10 Reasons Why You Should Start a Play Club in Your School

by Pat Rumbaugh View Bio

Pat Rumbaugh

Pat Rumbaugh, aka The Play Lady lives in Takoma Park, Maryland. Where she started a Play Club in 2009, since that time she had organized and led over 60 fun free play events in her community. For thirty years Pat was an educator and coach (1981-2011). Seeing the decline in unstructured play like the kind most adults grew up with sparked Pat to research the subject. Pat has a children’s book, Let’s Play at the Playground, became the co-founder of the nonprofitwww.Letsplayamerica.org, gave two TEDxTalks on play and was named the Grand Marshall of Takoma Park’s July 4 Parade in 2014. Pat speaks all over the country about the importance of play. She dreams of having Play Clubs in every school in America and interns in every community planning play events. Pat says, “Everyone deserves to play!”

Seeing the decline in unstructured play like the kind most adults grew up with sparked Pat to research the subject. Pat speaks all over the country about the importance of play. She dreams of having Play Clubs in every school in America and interns in every community planning play events. Pat says, “Everyone deserves to play!”

A Play Club has two goals: To offer fun, unstructured playtime to children of all ages and to promote play and its many benefits. Students can encourage play by organizing a Play Day at their schools, visiting retirement communities and engaging with seniors, and teens can go to a preschool to play with young children. Play clubs can spread the word about the importance of free, unstructured playtime. Give every child in your community the childhood you dreamed of and help start a Play Club today in your school! Why?

1. Kids deserve the opportunity to play every day. In fact, Article 31 of the UN Convention on Rights of the Child states children have the right to play. In Free To Learn, developmental Psychologist Peter Gray argues that in order to foster children who will thrive in today’s constantly changing world, we must entrust them to steer their own learning and development. Drawing on evidence from anthropology, psychology, and history, he demonstrates that free play is the primary means by which children learn to control their lives.
   
   As a so–called tomboy growing up in western Pennsylvania, I had the opportunity to play outside every day.


2. Schools offer ideal play spaces for children. Almost all schools in America have outdoor and indoor places for children to play. Many elementary schools have playgrounds, gyms, all-purpose rooms and more. Middle and high schools offer a range of play spaces. Visit your local schools to see what play environments are available.


3. Free and unstructured play offers children of all ages multiple opportunities. Dr. Stuart Brown, founder of the National Institute for Play, says: “Play energizes us and enlivens us. It eases our burdens. It renews our natural sense of optimism and opens us up to new possibilities.”


4. Forming a play club brings the community together. In Takoma Park, Maryland where I live, we have organized more than 60 fun and free play events, including Play Days, street closings for play, and added play opportunities to already-organized events. All of this has happened since we formed a play club in 2009. Hundreds of people from our community join us to play.


5. Play clubs led by children build leadership skills. O. Fred Donaldson, contemporary American martial arts master, said, “Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn.” Teens volunteer at many of our play events and earn community service hours toward their graduation requirement. Many teens return because they love to play and encourage others to play.

“Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn.”

6. Promoting play connects people of all ages. Students can plan a Play Day at their school, visit seniors and play with them, and/or go to preschools to play. For more ideas go to our website www.Letsplayamerica.org, watch videos, two TEDxTalks I gave on play, a documentary titled “The Play Lady,” and more.


7. Play clubs helps address many problems in society today. Contemporary American Professor of Psychiatry, Kay Redfield Jamison says it best: “Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.” When children of all ages have the freedom to play what they choose, with whom they choose and have the opportunity to work out their own squabbles, they learn to negotiate, be kind to one another and how to play together.


8. Bring back the days when children went outside to play without the constant supervision of an adult. Adults remember back to your childhood days, did you play outside till the streetlights came on? Did you used to ride your bike to the school playground to play pick-up games with kids of all ages?


9. Physically active play will help children get the daily needed exercise they are naturally missing. Since the 1980s children have lost 8 to 10 hours of free unstructured playtime per week. Form a play club and give children time to play.


10. Playing is fun. It is that simple. Everyone deserves to play!

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• Pat’s Play Ideas

  • Play clubs can spread the word about the importance of free, unstructured playtime. Drawing on evidence from anthropology, psychology, and history, free play is the primary means by which children learn to control their lives.
  • Almost all schools in America have outdoor and indoor places for children to play. Organizing and adding play opportunities in these environments help children learn through play.
  • When children of all ages have the freedom to play what they choose, with whom they choose and have the opportunity to work out their own squabbles, they learn to negotiate, be kind to one another and how to play together. Everyone deserves to play!