Ｌｅｔ Ｋｉｄｓ Ｐｌａｙ ａｔ Ｗｉｌｌ ａｎｄ Ｂｅ Ｋｉｄｓ

Here’s some soothing(起鎮(zhèn)靜作用的) medicine for stressed-out parents and overscheduled kids worldwide: The American Academy of Paediatrics says what children really need for healthy development is more good， old-fashioned playtime.

Many parents load their children’s schedules with get-smart videos， enrichment activities and lots of classes in a drive to help them. The efforts often begin as early as infancy(幼年期).

But studies have shown that unstructured play has many benefits. It can help children become creative， discover their own passions， develop problem-solving skills， relate to others and adjust to school settings， the academy report says.

A lack of free playtime can create stress for children and parents alike. If it occurs because young children are plopped(身子重重地落下) in front of get-smart videos or older children lose school recess time， it can increase risks for getting fat. It may even contribute to depression for many children， the report says.

It says enrichment tools and organized activities can be beneficial but should not be viewed as a requirement for creating successful children. Above all， they must be balanced with plenty of free playtime， the report says.

（衢州第二中學 潘志強 摘編）

(注：應廣大同學和老師的要求，為使同學們接觸到地道的英語，培養(yǎng)英語語感和思維能力，從本期起，本欄目將隔期提供摘自國外英文報刊、與同學們的閱讀水平相當?shù)奈恼隆４祟愇恼虏惶峁┳g文。)