The Washington herald., 1921-07-10
TREAT
OF INDOOR And
OUTDOOR PLAY
How and When the Child
Mind Should Move
With 6o6y.

Spring and summer weather
which permits children TO play free
ly out-of-doors. has a distinct effect
upon their play habits and their
overwhelming desire to get out into
the fresh air should be appreciated
and met by parents.
Among the many differences be-
tween indoor and outdoor play u
the fact that in winter there IL sell
dom room in the average home for
many children Of neighborhood fam
lilies to play together.
Warm, sunny days provide that
opportunity either in the city, In the
country or at the seashore. and as
sociation With old or new child
friends is beneficial and broadening.
II helps children to get new play
ideas from their companions ano
helps them also in that they learn
something of social Intercourse.
They play with cath others toys and
that tends to prevent the possible
development of selfishness sno
strengthens their young ideas OF
courtesy. generosity and mutual
helpfulness. In a way, outdoor play
groups are similar to the societies
and clubs to which childrens' parents
belong.
Get children together in outdoor
play groups. IL is good for them ano
easier for the mothers. Let a mother
or several mothers, or a play group
teacher, or a real intelligent gov
erness supervise their play by sus-
gestion in such a way that the chill
dren feel that they are At most
merely taking a suggestion from
their elders and working it out their
own way.
A plainly dictated game or method
of play in which the child feels that
IL has no creative part becomes 10
that child merely a task-with no
fun in il. II is serious mistake 10
attempt to guide a child's play en-
tirely from an adult idea Of what
the child should want TO do.
These tendencies should be very
carefully studied by the parents or
teachers and developed systematic
ally when indicative of real useful
ness in future life. II is wisest TO
wait. in studying these child tenden-
/ cies, until the child does the same
thing or a similar thing a number
/ Of times in its spontaneous play. as
this will be a clearer indication thai
such action really represents a de-
/ velopment tendency. or course, II
4 the tendency is destructive or harm
I full IL should be discouraged. Ten
denotes that to the thoughtful ana
| observant mother seem, after care
! full consideration. to be for good
should be patiently developed. In tho
case of a child that shows SO much
aggressiveness and initiative that IL
wants TO boss" every game. il must
not be thought that such tendency
is naturally bad one because some
children are born leaders. Such Ak
gressiveness and initiative should be
carefully studied. guided and toned
down" so that all selfshness and
lack OF consideration for others b,
removed and the constructive, pro
tective and leadership ideas shall b.
taken full advantage Of
Because a child Of either sex TO
attain success in any phase of later
or adult life must possess self re
lance, initiative and perseverance,
il is very highly essential that sUCu
Characteristic as well as others OF
the right kind should be fostered
and developed as early in life as
possible. There iss no better oppor-
tunity offered to parents or teachers
10 size up" child possibilities than
to watch the children when they
play at games or ideas that are en-
tirely their own. when a child
leaves the play that has been sug-
gested to it and starts Of at a new
play tangent, or when il plays in
termittently or with apparent aim
lessness, it is more frequently then
that il will give evidence of its ply
sical or mental development trends
and then that which it does. "on its
own hook" should be studied and
taken thoughtful advantage Of.