In an era of parental paranoia, lawsuit mania and testing frenzy, we are failing to inspire our children's curiosity, creativity, and imagination. We are denying them opportunities to tinker, discover, and explore - in short, to play. — Darell Hammond Copy Share Image
By providing our young children with opportunities for free, child-directed play, along with proper nutrition, we are setting them up for a lifetime of healthy habits, versus interventions needed later in life. — Darell Hammond Copy Share Image
Increased physical activity during the school day can help children's attention, classroom behavior, and achievement test scores. Meanwhile, the decline of play is closely… — Darell Hammond Copy Share Image
As parents, we need to send our kids back to 'old-fashioned' outdoor summer camps, which have been on the decline as the demand for… — Darell Hammond Copy Share Image
Just as playgrounds didn't even make the priority list of most of those responding to Katrina, they all too often slip off the radar… — Darell Hammond Copy Share Image
Growing up in a group home, and with an undiagnosed learning disability to boot, the odds of success were not on my side. But… — Darell Hammond Copy Share Image
Our country's growing obsession with organized sports isn't just hurting our children, but also our communities. As play is siphoned off to gyms and… — Darell Hammond Copy Share Image
If there's one thing that 'No Child Left Behind' has proven, it's that more academics don't make for smarter children - or even higher… — Darell Hammond Copy Share Image
Only one in five children in the U.S. lives within walking distance of a park. Many more lack access to a quality early childhood… — Darell Hammond Copy Share Image
Public swimming pools, recreation centers, summer reading programs, youth jobs programs - they are all shutting their doors. And they are all facilities and… — Darell Hammond Copy Share Image
This summer, we need to let our kids go play and we need to stop worrying about whether or not it's going to ruin… — Darell Hammond Copy Share Image
Play is the best natural resource in a creative economy. Kids need more of it. It is the work of childhood. We hope to… — Darell Hammond Copy Share Image
As I see it, the debate between summer vacation vs. year-round school glosses over the most important questions. Namely, how can we bring play… — Darell Hammond Copy Share Image
Kids who don't play are not just at greater risk of falling behind academically, but also of becoming overweight or obese, failing to integrate… — Darell Hammond Copy Share Image
