Coronavirus Is Affecting Childhood: Why I Think Parents Need to Get Their Kids Outside to Play by Mike Prochaska

I watched from a distance as my daughter was brave and jumped off a cliff into a pond at the park. Now that parks are being opened, be brave and take your kids to play – they need it more now than ever before in my opinion.

As I sat there and watched the kids play with their new friends in the small lake at Spring Lake Park in Lincolnshire, Illinois, it was so nice to see what I would consider summer returning to Illinois. My kids have reached the age where they are too cool for me, so we brought along their cousins so they could all play. I was worried at first when we got there. Why? I wondered how other parents were responding in these weird times and they felt about kids playing together during the coronavirus pandemic.

It was so nice to see the little dudes empty the bucket of sand toys onto the beach and instantly start playing and making friends with another little boy in the sand who didn’t have toys. The girls, meanwhile, made friends with another little girl who had come to the park alone – they instantly included her in their water games. To me, this what childhood and summer is all about. This is what we need to protect. No masks, no spreading fear. I am not saying that coronavirus is not something to worry about, but our children’s childhood is just as important.

Just kids playing, kids being kids. Kids finally enjoying playing with each other outside. No technology, no Zoom, no Google Meet, no Freckle, no digital field trips. Just kids outside playing with each other, making up their own games and pure joy on their faces.

Kids being kids, exploring the park and the weird lake water that was full of frogs, fish and whatever else they found. But the lake is open – all the pools are closed and it’s an 85-degree warm sunny summer day. Thank you for finally bringing summer back to Illinois.

Time to go jump back into the lake and watch all the kiddos play.

What do you think? Are you taking your kids to parks yet? Share your thoughts below. 

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