Forgetting How to Play

A fifth of the parents in Britain claim to have forgotten “how to play with their children,” according to a recent survey. One third confess that they find play boring, while others lack time or ideas. Regarding this finding, Professor Tanya Byron, a clinical psychologist, says: “There are four key ingredients to a successful playtime between parents and children: education, inspiration, integration and communication.” Although 1 in 3 parents chose to play computer games with their children, the vast majority of youngsters prefer playing these alone. Among the activities that most 5- to 15-year-olds want to share with their parents are outdoor games and board games.