Bringing Back Summer: Why Kids Need More Unstructured Play
Anwar Stetson
Touching Grass
I read a joke online the other day, paraphrased as such: Another day of staring at the big screen, while scrolling through my little screen, so as to reward myself for staring at the medium screen all week.
American society is often organized from sunrise to sunset between laptops, phones, and TV screens. It makes millennials like me long for the days of our childhood. We often think of ourselves as the last generation on this planet to grow up in a world without constant, intrusive, and addictive internet access.
Every group gets nostalgic as they age, but for the 30+ club, it’s been a particularly interesting phenomenon to get a front row seat to the explosion of digital technology. Though every screen, app, article, and video is optimized to be as attention-grabbing as possible, people of all ages are beginning to understand the negative impact of too much screen time.
Terms like “Brain rot” and “iPad Kid” have become derogatory nomenclature for the type of social and mental decay that these screens inflict. Parents have begun to push back, creating more organized activities for kids that don’t involve consuming media. As such, millions of kids around the country get involved in youth sports. But that may not be the only answer.
From social psychologists to quarterbacks, leaders from across the nation are championing a return to unorganized and independent play for kids.
It Was Summer
A comprehensive study in The Atlantic earlier in this month polled 500 children who were asked how they preferred to spend time with friends. 45% preferred free play (in-person), 30% preferred in-person organized activities, and 25% preferred online activities.
Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s analysis and research led to the conclusion that children are “overprotected in the real world and underprotected online.” While kids have far too much freedom on the internet, they are yearning for the real freedom outside the door.
Out of the armchair and onto the field, some former athletes think the same.
On the Try That in a Small Town Podcast, former Ohio State quarterback and college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit said he believes organized youth sports have become too serious.
“You had a green jersey and white pants. You had a blue one, you had a red [one],” Herbstreit said, pointing to his co-hosts. “And after the game, there was a race to the concession stand to get your treat or whatever it was. Then you hung out at the park, and you might go to the creek, and you might go over to the pool, and it was summer! It was fun! You know what I mean? We’re stealing that from kids and from families.”
“I’m like, ‘they’re nine!’” he continued, reflecting on his own parenting. “Why are we taking away family experiences to go to an effing tournament in Indiana for our nine-year-old?”
Talking with the next generation of girls prep hoops, WNBA All-Star Kelsey Plum spoke on the importance of learning how to play basketball with friends on the court, rather than advanced, organized training sessions. “Growing up, all I did was play pickup,” Plum told prep star Jordyn Palmer. “2-on-2, 3-on-3, fives, guys, girls. I think you kind of learn how to play basketball. And I do think that skill work is really important, but playing is something that is missing.”
“Growing up, I’m going to hoop. Where is the nearest run? Drop me off, I’ll play all day,” Draymond Green said on his podcast in June. “The nuances and things you figure out about the game–it’s different when somebody is just putting you in a position to just tell you to do this move. How do you use your creativity? How do you learn?”
Playing structured, organized sports and developing through trainers will always be a crucial and necessary aspect of youth sports. Organized sports, of course, have tremendous benefits to physical health and can translate positively to the classroom as well.
Hall-of-Fame athletes like LeBron James have expressed a desire to return to independent play. But he also had the resources to give his sons–NBA player Bronny, and D1 freshman Bryce–access to the best facilities, training, coaches, and equipment that money can buy.
However, kids need some time away from adults to develop leadership skills. Constantly under the watchful eye of parents and constantly inundated with screen time, Haidt says that children are becoming more anxious and less independent. “This generation longs for what most of their parents had,” he writes, “time with friends, in person, without adults.”
Are the Kids Alright?
A recent report in the Financial Times found that children are less likely to be conscientious, agreeable, and extroverted than a decade ago. They are more likely to be easily distracted, careless, and less likely to persevere and follow through on plans.
Not only are these attributes tremendously important in order to become a great athlete, but they are also significant traits needed for a more productive life.
Long gone are the days of “Win one for the Gipper.” Coaches have had to adapt their style to Gen Z.
One coach said that they’ve had to adapt to youth athletes with shorter attention spans and less independence than previous generations.
However, one sports psychologist adds that Gen Z has many great strengths, including compassion, open-mindedness, technological skill, and curiosity. Combining these traits with a penchant for old-school leadership and independence can put youth athletes at a tremendous advantage.
The greatest athletes of all time, from Jackie Robinson to Tom Brady, all needed outstanding resilience in the face of adversity. They had great individual accolades in organized team sports, which were key to their development. But they also needed to foster personal independence away from parents and coaches to prepare for a challenging world.
Navigating a society with a million distractions can be difficult for anyone. But the best parts of being a kid, at least for my generation, were the days with a blue, summer sky, a ball, and my thoughts. Turns out, those times shouldn’t be taken for granted anymore.