During unstructured play at the park, children are given free access to explore on their own guided by their curiosity, with teachers loosely supervising from a distance. Through observation, teachers ensure children are calm, aware, and safe as they test their abilities. Risk-taking is allowed to help children learn their boundaries. Recent research shows lack of free play can delay children's social, emotional, physical and cognitive development. The newsletter emphasizes the importance of "loitering with intent" to give children independence during this critical time of self-directed learning through movement and exploration.

1. Parent Newsletter February 2016
Unstructured Play
As ToTH teachers and volunteers “loiter with intent” the
children are given free access to the full perimeter of Sherwood
park, and they play freely, guided by their own curiosity. Children
run the track, climb the “big kid” gear, go up the high slide, and
explore the fence looking out onto the street. Upon first glance it
might look like our kids are unsafe, with no supervision! But the
reality is, many hours of observation and communication have
gone into making sure our kids are calm, aware, and safe. Guided
by the idea “safety third”, we have put attention on the importance
of our students’ level of calm and awareness first. During free
1st Calm
W h e n c h i l d r e n h a v e
consistency with routines,
environments, and ground
rules, going to new places and
trying new things is fun.
Children who can trust their
peaceful adult friends to
respect them, while also
keeping them safe, enter
playgrounds calmly.
2nd Awareness
When children are shown
around an environment, given
ground rules, advised against
dangers, and offered advice
about navigating challenges,
children are aware of sharp
edges and slippery slopes.
When what is OK and what is
not OK is consistent, we can
trust more and hover less.
3rd Safety
Children who are not calm,
and not aware, are at risk of
accidents. No matter how
much we try to protect, give
ground rules, or hover, “safety”
cannot replace calm; “safety”
cannot replace awareness.

2. Parent Newsletter February 2016
play, we allow as much freedom as the child can handle. Decisions
about who can go where and handle what is made on an
individual, case by case basis. A child who lacks calm and
awareness will have more restrictions than a child who doesn’t.
The importance of free play
Studies show that children who are not offered enough time to
play freely, without the suggestions and intervention of adults,
show delays across the spectrum (social, emotional, physical,
cognitive). More children than ever are on medication for
depression and anxiety. Occupational therapists are observing
children in kindergarten with delays in gross motor development,
and coordination. Even weakness in the joints and muscles is
increasingly common in Kindergarten. Current research on pre-
school programs tells us we need to hold off on academic
endeavors during early childhood and remember that movement,
exploration, and curiosity should guide how we design our early
childhood programs.
Solitude and Rest
Do you remember lying in grass,
sitting in a tree, or gazing out a
window uninterrupted? Chances are,
we have plenty of those memories.
There were no handheld devices,
playstation, or personal laptops. Our
parents felt safe to let us play alone
in the backyard or investigate the
woods with a neighborhood friend.
Times are different now. We have to
make sure that children still have
opportunities to reap the rewards of:
• Day Dreaming
• Resting
• Idling
According to research published
in the Atlantic (Lahey, 2013),
these rewards include self-
awareness, creative incubation,
improvisation and evaluation,
m e m o r y c o n s o l i d a t i o n ,
autobiographical planning, goal
driven thought, future planning,
retrieval of deeply personal
m e m o r i e s , r e fl e c t i v e
consideration of the meaning of
e v e n t s a n d e x p e r i e n c e s ,
simulating the perspective of
another person, evaluating the
implications of self and others’
emotional reactions, moral
re a s o n i n g , a n d re fl e c t i v e
compassion.
(Jack’s deep satisfaction after jumping in a puddle)

3. Parent Newsletter February 2016
When a young child heads for a steep hill, or the high slide, we often get
glances that seem to say, “is this OK?” or “Are you about to stop me even
though I really want to try this?” Risk taking is important and scrapes and
bruises are necessary. This is our opportunity to experiment with our
own boundaries, as well as theirs. We have to know what our child can
handle and what she can’t. This happens through keen observation. If
we can stand back and watch before we intervene we might be
pleasantly surprised with our child’s level of self awareness and his/her
ability to be careful.
If your child is new to a park or play area, walk around with her, hold her
hand, accompany her on the slide, show her things you think are right
for her size and abilities. As she gains confidence, step back and allow
her to master the things you’ve shown her. She will gain confidence and
inner strength as she tests her own boundaries. As she branches out and
experiments with more freedom and risk-taking, practice “loitering with
intent”. If you get that glance or a question about whether or not
something is OK, practice using the phrase, “As long as you feel
comfortable”. Then loiter and observe.
(Fiona concentrating as she goes up and down a
hill with no help)
Kindergarten was originally designed by Fredrick
Froebel as a place for children to move freely, explore,
and tire themselves out through self directed activity.
He said, “A child who plays and works thoroughly, with
perseverance, until physical fatigue forbids will surely be a
thorough, determined person, capable of self-sacrifice.”
If the most recently uncovered truths about early
childhood teach us that certain developmental needs
can only be satisfied through movement, play,
experimentation, trial and error, and risk-taking, then
it’s worth taking a step back and cultivating our ability
to allow play and discovery.
When the weather permits, we are at the playground
for an hour each ToTH session! Please come and join
us, practice “loitering with intent”, and watch your
child explore with great joy and confidence during this
sensitive period for movement and motor
development.
(Sam after running up and down the ramp freely, with a look
of confidence and satisfaction)

4. Parent Newsletter February 2016
(notes from parent ed. discussion February 2016)
Uninterrupted Play - what it is and why it is important.
“Uninterrupted play is a period of time when a child is given autonomy to self-direct 100% of her movement
and choices. This play takes place in a defined space with boundaries and there can be an adult present to
oversee but not interfere.
Can there be ground rules? YES
Can adults also play and direct activity? NO, not if you want to be pure unstructured play. (play with your
child often!!! - just also allow opportunities for independence)
Can adults intervene if a child is hurt, or on the verge of being hurt? Yes
Can adults hover and watch closely to ensure safety? No
Let’s define “loitering with intent”.
“stand or wait around idly or without apparent purpose”
synonyms: linger, skulk, wait
“travel indolently and with frequent pauses”
"they loitered along in the sunshine, stopping at the least excuse”
When you “loiter with intent” properly - your child does not know you are watching him/her to keep him/her
safe. Your child does not feel observed. Your child might often forget you are around. Your child is never
interrupted during exploration, observation, curiosity, or problem solving. Your child gets the feeling you are
very busy exploring on your own.
a decline in play is accompanied by:
-fine and gross motor delays
-impaired social skills
-impaired executive functioning
-delayed language skills
-inability to control emotions
-inability to play alone
-depression
-anxiety
“It's hard to imagine a time in history when children were more coddled, indulged, or protected, and yet,
according to this study, there are five to eight times as many young people suffering from major depression
and anxiety today than a half-century ago.” Another way of saying this is, during WWII, kids were happier.
“Preschool years are not only optimal for children to learn through play, but also a critical developmental
period. If children are not given enough natural movement and play experiences, they start their
academic careers with a disadvantage. They are more likely to be clumsy, have difficulty paying
attention, trouble controlling their emotions, utilize poor problem-solving methods, and demonstrate
difficulties with social interactions. We are consistently seeing sensory, motor, and cognitive issues pop up
more and more in later childhood, partly because of inadequate opportunities to move and play at an early
age.”
Between 7.1-9.0% of school aged children in Virginia/DC area are diagnosed with ADD and ADHD, in the state right
below us it’s over 10%.