Evolved Nest Component #5

SELF-DIRECTED SOCIAL PLAY is free social play with multiple-aged playmates. 

What to do:

Try not to interfere in your child’s natural play instinct. For example, create a space where you can let baby and toddler explore on their own without interference.
Build into your child’s day several self-directed social playtimes.
Let your child be outside on his or her own.
Encourage social play with differently- aged playmates. Although adult-directed sports or other play activities might be good too, self-directed free play is different and important.

Why?

Humans are mammals. Young mammals play when they feel safe and well. People who have little self-directed social play experience tend to be more aggressive and have other behavior disorders (e.g., van den Berg et al., 1999), as well as diminished academic achievement (Barros, Silver & Stein, 2009).

The Evolved Nest Explained: Self - Directed Social Play

The Evolved Nest is a breakthrough concept that integrates findings across fields that bear on child development, child raising and adult behavior.  The Evolved Nest promotes optimal health and wellbeing, cooperation, and receptive and sociomoral intelligences. Societal moves away from providing the Evolved Nest have contributed to the ill being and dysregulation we see in one another and society. Learn how to nest your children and re-nest yourself.