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From: sct@lanl.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: How many hours should children play?
Message-ID: <27146@lanl.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 12-Jun-85 10:01:56 EDT
Article-I.D.: lanl.27146
Posted: Wed Jun 12 10:01:56 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 13-Jun-85 05:23:09 EDT
References: <245@aluxp.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
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> *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***
> Our only daughter, 5 years old, is persuaded by her mom to take naps
> in the afternoon and mostly play inside, by herself or with us. We do not allow her
> to be outside without one of us being with her. She does have play time with other
> children her age in the mornings when she goes to child care center, my wife goes
> to school during that time. My wife rationale is that our daughter is tired or
> would get tired with the additional play and the wakingg up go and being in the
> child care center, shooping in the super market, etc. I know my wife is
> right in that the child should be allowed to nap, specially if tired , but I
> sometimes feel that some free play with other children in the neighborhood
>.............

	We have two children ages 3 and 6 and find that they play 
together almost all the time especially now that summer is here.  I
believe that this "free play" time is very important to the development
of the child.  They do have other friends that come over and play also.
I don't think there is such a thing as too much play time.  When a child
is tired of playing he/she will quit on her own.

	As far as naps go our 6 year old took naps until she was 4 but
our 3 year old stopped taking them when he was 2 1/2.  We try to have
quiet times where they can rest but don't force them to take naps.  I
remember hating to take them when I was a kid under 6 yrs old.

Steve Tenbrink
sct@lanl.arpa