Blackheath High’s Deputy Head (Academic), Ms Lewis, recently published an article on the importance of unsupervised play. Inspired by acclaimed psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s new book ‘The Anxious Generation’, in which he explores the rise in anxiety and depression among adolescents, attributing it to a combination of reduced free play and increased screen time that has “rewired” childhood, Ms Lewis feels strongly that unsupervised plays a critical role in childhood development. 

“In an increasingly risk-averse world, where screens often dominate our children’s attention, these moments of unstructured play feel like gold,” Ms Lewis says. “They teach resilience, creativity, and the art of negotiation. Watching my son navigate these social landscapes, I see him grow more confident and independent.” 

Both schools and parents need to allow children the freedom to learn, make mistakes and pick themselves up again – which in turn boosts their ability to tackle adversity and face challenges head-on later in life. 

Read the full article.