Prescription for Play: How the Jackson Hole Children’s Museum is Supporting the American Academy of Pediatrics New Guidelines

 
Did you know you could get a prescription for play? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently released new guidelines to empower pediatricians to write a “prescription for play” to every family they see. Since the publication of the AAP’s Clinical Reports on the importance of play in 2007, newer research has provided additional evidence of the critical importance of play in supporting children’s healthy cognitive development.
 
According to Dr. Travis Riddell, local pediatrician at Jackson Pediatrics, and Teton County Public Health Officer, “Unstructured play is critical for cognitive, social, language and motor development in children. It helps them manage stress, develop executive function and self-regulate.”
 
“National research shows that there has been an increase in sensory, motor and cognitive issues in our country,” said Jean Lewis, Jackson Hole Children’s Museum Executive Director. “This is directly linked to a lack of opportunities to move, play, problem-solve and explore at an early age.”
 
The mission of the Jackson Hole Children’s Museum is to provide space to play, create, explore and discover. “Through our programs and play spaces, we build, manipulate, experiment, and ask questions – these skills are proven to exercise the mind. This is the essence of experiential learning and the Children’s Museum,” said Hatilie Lemke, Education Director.
 
According to the recent AAP report, play also facilitates parent engagement, and promotes safe, stable, and nurturing relationships. It is fundamentally important for learning 21st century skills, such as problem-solving, collaboration and creativity (Yogman M, Garner A, Hutchinson J, et al, 2018).
 
The Jackson Hole Children’s Museum is already championing these recommendations in our community. For more information about the Museum and these guidelines, including a copy of the report, please visit jhchildrensmuseum.org.
 

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