More than one in five children live with inadequate provision for survival and development because of poverty and sub-standard living conditions. Children are rearing younger children. Poverty forces children to be miniature adults during the early years. It robs away a child's right to play. Changing cultural values.
Parents overlook the social and emotional learning that comes through play.
Inadequate time . Children's weekly itineraries are jammed with a progression of lessons and formal play opportunities such as music lessons, scout meetings, little league, soccer and dance lessons. There is not sufficient time to allow children to play informally, to just let them be children in their own space and time. Play takes time- a particular type of time, less bounded by pressures of functional living. As time pressures intrude, play diminishes in quality.