Unstructuring Childhood
68
Unstructuring Childhood Free to Play in Nature, Free to Learn in Nature Supported by
Transcript of Unstructuring Childhood
UnstructuringChildhood
Free to Play in Nature, Free to Learn in Nature Supported by
Presentation AIMS:
• Introduce Nature Play QLD
• Current scenario for Australian
children and the importance of
outdoor play
• 4 FUNdemental F’s of
unstructured play
• Why unstructuring childhood
needs to be prioritised for
children
• Why outdoor play or nature play
is the best place for this to occur
• What are we doing?
Vision & Mission
Vision
For unstructured, outdoor play to become a
normal part of every Qld child’s life, so that
they can develop into resilient, healthy and
creative members of the community
Mission
To work innovatively and collaboratively to
make nature play a normal part of
childhood again
Guiding Principals
• Collaboration
• Flexibility
• Community Focused
• Respect
• Equity
NATURE PLAY QLD PARTNERS
- Department of Sport, Racing and Agriculture- QLD Health
Our children’s
environments
will determine
the sum of the
their worlds
SESORY
EXPLOSION
Self-expression
Individuality
-
Self-determination
Self-regulation
Risk
management
Freedom
WHY IS THIS CONVERSATION SO IMPORTANT?
Outdoor play has been replaced by screen time
74% of Aussie kids exceed the daily screen use guidelines
71% of use a second device while watching TV 1 in 5 use devices at the dinner table 39% fall asleep with a device
Almost 1/3 or 29% of Australian Children
QLD Children Overweight or Obese
14% of Australian
Children have a mental
health disorder
National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2010
Planet Ark, Climbing Trees, 2011
The Australian, 20 August 2012
6000 words per day vs500 words per day
http://www.childrenandnature.org/documents/C118/ accessed 24/3/2104
http://www.childrenandnature.org/documents/C118/ accessed 24/3/2104
Dr Rachael Sharman
Psychologist and Lecturer
University of Sunshine Coast
Dr Rachael Sharman
Psychologist and Lecturer
University of Sunshine Coast
Dr Rachael Sharman
Psychologist and Lecturer
University of Sunshine Coast
Dr Rachael Sharman
Psychologist and Lecturer
University of Sunshine Coast
Play is Learning&
Childhood is Evolving
What is
happening for
our children
while they play,
muck around?
Nature Play Secret Ingredients for
making unstructured play
The 4 FUN-damental F’s
FREEDOM
FUN
FLUENCY
FRIENDS
FR
EE
DO
M
Psychological Dimensions of
FREEDOM
What is freedom
• Choice
• Self determination
• Self control
• Self mastery
• Intrinsic motivation
Childhood is a Journey
Where there is the gradual handover
of responsibilities from the adult to
the children
Self Directed
Executive
Function=
The brains control
processes that
regulate thoughts
and actions in
support of goal-
directed behaviourUNSTRUCTURED OUTDOOR
PLAY INCREASES
EXECUTIVE FUNCTION
(Jane E Barker, 2014)
Self Directed
Executive
Function=
The brains control
processes that
regulate thoughts
and actions in
support of goal-
directed behaviourSTRUCTURED ORGANISED
PLAY DECREASES
EXECUTIVE FUNCTION
(Jane E Barker, 2014)
Internal
v’s
External
locus of
control
o Takes responsibility
o Able to learn form
mistakes
o Not easily influenced
by others opinions
o Able to self-direct work
o Self-reflective
o Doesn’t look outside
themselves for
approval
o Thinks critically
o Goal orientated
o Can delay gratification
o More confident
o More resilient
o Linked to long term
success
Burger, Jerry M. Personality. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company, 1993.
o Blames others or external
influences
o Requires direction
o Requires guidance
o Easily influenced
o Looks to others for ideas of
things to do
o Is concerned about opinions
of others
o Reduced ability to learn from
mistakes
o Needs constant praise
o Reduced ability to problem
solve
o Takes time to get into tasks
o Less likely play on their own
o Requires instant results
o Not goal orientated
o Less confident
o Less resilient
Dependence/Inte
r-dependence
Theory
Erikson, 1994
For a child play is learning
Nature is imperfectly perfect, filled with loose parts and possibilities, with mud and dust, nettles and sky, transcendent hands-on moments and skinned knees.
Richard Louv
Last Child in the Woods
Nature
Play QLD
250 Missions online
Simple and free
Distributed to 160,000 QLD children in our first 2 years
Orders from families in over 1045 individual towns and Suburbs across all regions
of Queensland
Over 22,000 QLD orders from Schools, OSHC,
kindergarten, Child Care, many Community groups
Passport to Amazing Childhood Program
SELECT A MISSION
Passport program
Passport ProgramComplete your mission
The perfect take-home
accompaniment to the Passport to
an Amazing Childhood program.
Unlock the power of outdoor play to
GROW
Super Healthy Happy Kids
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