The Importance of Unstructured Play in Child Development

16th November 2022 Family

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Playing is a huge part of learning. For children, the urge to play is built into their bodies and their minds.

Up until a certain age, children’s desire to play alone and with others is ever-present and any parent will know that this urge can sometimes get in the way! Simple bus trips turn into a festival of button-pressing, a supermarket run is suddenly more like a high-speed steeple chase as your toddler explores the aisles. The energy and commitment which small children give to unstructured play is impressive!

Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash

Many parents and caregivers worry that we should always be available to our children for playing games as often as they’d like.

However, although playing with your children is vital, it’s just as important to allow your child unstructured play opportunities. This might not mean you let them run wild on the bus of course – but rather that you allow them to experiment and enjoy appropriate settings to their heart’s content.

During unstructured play, children learn many skills. The freedom to explore without any rules to hinder their learning is something all children need and in fact, research has shown that the cognitive development of children is improved through unstructured play. 

It most specifically cultivates creativity, imagination and problem-solving skills. 

Playgrounds and outdoor spaces are ideal for free play because there are endless opportunities to explore and interact with the world. Children can race through a play structure, run in open spaces and create their own games based on what’s available. Children do not need large open spaces for creative play – often a quiet corner or under the kitchen table are just as fun.

What is unstructured play?

To understand unstructured play, it’s a good idea to understand structured play first. Structured play is usually adult led. It may involve games with rules and equipment that needs to be utilised in specific way.

Board games and puzzles and team games are both examples of structured play. These offer important learning opportunities but which are different to those offered by unstructured play. 

This junior school in Cheltenham offers a fine balance of unstructured and structured play for students. 

Unstructured play time is open ended. It allows for complete freedom and is child-led.

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There’s no specific goal in mind and children can use their full imagination and follow their own instincts.

Unstructured play can include running wild in a playground, park or garden, building with bricks or painting and crafting.

Children who are allowed plenty of unstructured play opportunities will often concentrate for a lot longer than during structured play because they enjoy being in control.

The benefits of unstructured play

Not only are children at their happiest during these times but they are also developing their cognitive skills, their social and emotional skills, their creativity and problem-solving skills.

There’s also no need for any special equipment with unstructured play which is a great benefit and means of course, that children can engage at any time and in any place.