What is the purpose of play?

What is the purpose of play? To get ready for life. Play becomes problem-solving. But that's not a grim prescription. Play is naturally fun. But right now, is your child having fun? Or is she following you around the house, demanding to be entertained, whether by you or by screens?

Screens are experience blockers. They stop you becoming the person you could be. I don't know about you but by the time I was ten, I could fix my bike, walk to the shops, cycle to the park, . I took my own photos - and developed them in a darkroom I had built with my father, using carpentry tools

But my children? Their lives are much more limited. "If you were to spend time in your room every afternoon, unsupervised", I recently asked my 11-year-old, "how would you spend it if you didn't have screens or access to books? What hobby might you start?"

At first, my question was met with a blank stare.

Hobbies?

My 10-year-old and 7-year-old would have found the question much easier.

In fact, why don’t I ask them?

Here’s what they said:

• Carry on building my wargaming board.
• Make an alarm for my bedroom with my Arduino
• Invent a new kind of slime
• Start a lemonade stand selling my new drink, SourStrike!
• Start a rival lemonade stand selling StrikeRight!

But this boy needed a nudge. 

You can't tell your child what to be interested in. It has to come from the heart.

Your job is simply to listen. And then to provide the materials - if your child can't gather them herself. And then, most importantly, to get out of the way.

Close the door. Go back to the kitchen. Put on the kettle and have a nice cup of tea. Forget about your child and what's best for her. Don't pick up your phone and look for those thermal vests you were going to buy her this week because the weather is turning colder.

Suddenly, you look at the clock. It's 7 p.m. and you haven't cooked! But it's OK, because your child didn't realise either. She was so engrossed in her new project that she didn't even notice she was hungry.

It's too late to make anything. A quick slice of peanut butter on toast, a hot chocolate and it's time for bed.

But everyone is happier.

You got a break - and she got a life.

Experience unblocked.