Labor Day signals the end of summer, and it is already here!  A national holiday since 1894, it was created as a day of relaxation and festivals to honor workers. It’s sort of ironic that it now prompts a back-to-work/back-to-school mentality.

It doesn’t have to!

There is plenty of time in the day to include play. As a former boss used to say, “There are 24 hours in a day. Eight hours to work, eight hours to sleep and eight hours to play.”  (Somehow he never took into account commuting, cooking, eating, cleaning and doing laundry. But even so, you can always squeeze in a little bit of play every day.)

For children, the best play is free play. That is, play that’s not organized by an adult. Adults facilitate free play by providing materials, space and time.  Kids can get a lot of imaginative and creative play out of sticks, empty boxes, and fabric pieces, as well as art, building and gardening materials.

So as you get supplies and schedule activities for the school year, throw in some whimsical play items and be sure to schedule some free time every day to play!