Nursery World - Freedom is the vital ingredient

In my previous column I used the analogy of food to argue that a poor diet of activities in children's free time is just as bad for them as junk food. But what does a balanced diet of 'middle years' childhood experiences look like?

But what does a balanced diet of 'middle years' childhood experiences look like?

The middle years are when children explore their growing and changing physical abilities. Running, jumping, climbing, throwing, catching and balancing are about much more than expending energy. They express the enormous appetite of all children - not least disabled children - for immersing themselves in the possibilities of their own bodies. And this needs space. Friendships are central to this stage in childhood, and also need space and time to grow and evolve. Middle years children are also beginning to discover and develop their own interests in sports, music, nature, games or creative pursuits that also need space and time.

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