She says: "Kids need more opportunities for unstructured play which they can also involve their parents in if they want.

Elementary school teachers, they say, are not likely to respect the importance of unstructured play and other developmental needs of young children.

The curriculum emphasized problem-solving rather than unstructured play or "repeat after me" drills.

What gives is unstructured play - tag, hide-and-seek, board games - all the things that children just do.

They also spend about 30 minutes less time each day in unstructured play and outdoor activities.

He'd been discouraged from unstructured play for half his life, and had difficulty with the idea of "pretending."

Children have less time for unstructured, creative play in the outdoors than ever before in human history.

The health benefits of unstructured play in nature for children are incredible.

Officials at educational toy companies say they, too, think children should have time for unstructured play.

But even organized activities do not address the need for free, unstructured play.