The Right of Children to Play

The Right of Children to Play
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The Right of Children to Play
Introduction
The international community acknowledges the importance of recreation and play in day to day life of a child. That is evident by the 1959 Declaration of the Rights of the Child, which states that every child should be allowed to recreate and play; hence public authorities and society should enforce and promote the application of this right (Davey et al., 2011). The 1989 convention on Rights of a child further strengthened the earlier proclamation by clearly stating that parties must recognize the right of a child to play, rest, leisure, and recreational activities suitable for the child’s age and to engage freely in cultural activities and the arts (Clements et al., 2004).
 
Child Development
Playtime is crucial for the optimal development of a child. The United Nations High Commission recognizes it for Human Rights (UNHCR) as a fundamental right for every child. This fundamental right faces several setbacks due to setbacks from factors such as child labor and exploitation, neighborhood violence, war, and limited resources due to extreme poverty (Lester et al., 2010). However, some fortunate children are not poor and live in relative peace but do not enjoy the full benefits of playing because they are being brought up in a pressured, hurried, and stressed environment that limits their time for games. Every child deserves an opportunity to grow to their full and unique potential. Hence, those who advocate for children's rights must ensure all factors or circumstances that hinder optimal growth and development of children are dealt with and promote measures that allow every child to enjoy the full benefits of games.
Academic enrichment opportunities are also vital for children's academic progress and systematic activities that promote conducive and healthy child development. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure the availability of a wide range of programming elements for both families and children(Brooker et al., 2013). Such guidelines advocate for the inclusion of playtime. It strikes a balance in a child's life, encouraging full development and ensuring a child is emotionally, socially, and academically equipped.
The Benefits of Play
Playing is essential to children's well-being and health, promoting imagination, self-confidence, development of creativity, self-efficacy, cognitive, social, emotional, and physical strength and skills. Play contributes to learning aspects since they form everyday participation(Clements et al., 2004). Hence it is of essential value to children and also brings about enjoyment and pleasure.
It promotes children's abilities to negotiate, resolve conflicts, make decisions, and regain emotional balance(Brooker et al., 2013). It also allows children to explore new activities, learn by engaging in different things, experiment with new challenges, roles, and the world around them hence learning to understand and develop their social status in the society and their position within the world.
When play is allowed to drive a child, children move at their own pace, practice decision-making skills, discover their exciting areas, and finally participate fully in what they pursue. When adults control the games played, children follow the adult's rules and concerns hence losing some benefits offered to them by playing, especially in developing creativity, group, and leadership skills(Clements et al., 2004). Unlike entertainment, playing builds a healthy and active body. Allowing children to participate in unstructured plays is an excellent way of increasing physical activity levels in children; thus, it is crucial in resolving obesity epidemics. Above all, playing brings cherishable joy throughout childhood.
Children's developmental course is demonstrated by appropriate and effective relationships with consistent, caring, and loving caregivers who relate with them through play. When parents accompany or join their children in a child-driven playtime, they get an opportunity to see the world from their children's perspective while children steer around the world created to fit their needs(Brooker et al., 2013). The play interactions between parents, caregivers, and children tell children that their parents or caregivers pay attention to them and their activities hence building an enduring relationship. On the other hand, parents will learn how to communicate effectively with their children...