Children at Play: An American History

The tension between how children spend their free time and how adults want them to spend it runs through Howard P. Chudacoff’s new book, “Children at Play: An American History” (New York University Press), like a yellow line smack down the middle of a highway. “Kids should have their own world, and parents are nuisances,” said Mr. Chudacoff, a professor of history at Brown University. His critique is increasingly echoed today by parents, educators and children’s advocates who warn that organized activities, overscheduling and excessive amounts of homework are crowding out free time and constricting children’s imaginations and social skills.
“It seems like a really timely book,” said Cindy Dell Clark, a historian at Penn State Delaware County and a consultant to the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia. “We’ve taken a lot of privacy and autonomy out of a child’s day.”
For the full story, go to NYTimes:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/14/books/14play.html?ex=1187668800&en=d9c5d1eb6035a36d&ei=5070&emc=eta1
or download article here.