Kids Pencil in Playtime

It's no secret that many American kids are very busy with organized activities.

But what psychologists now realize is that these jam-packed schedules can silence play. This lack of play is stunting emotional, behavioral and even intellectual growth.

Welcome to life in America 2007. The days of Pleasantville are long gone. Look at the Lusters and see if you too have trouble balancing school, activities and play for your kids.

At 6:30 a.m.14-year-old Marcus enjoys cereal, 9-year-old Cameron is taking out the trash, and 11-year-old Frank Jr. fixes his cream of wheat.

"Tonight Josie picks you up so you need to have everything ready," Christa said.

Then it's off to the races.

"Hurry Frank, I have to leave in 7 minutes," Christa said, impatiently.

By 7 a.m., Christa and Cameron are out the door, followed shortly by Marcus and Frank.

"After school" used to mean playtime and a quiet dinner with family. Not anymore. Tuesday afternoon at the Luster's means multi-tasking: like Marcus squeezing in a quick snack before his soccer ride arrives.

Christa reminds him, "Remember now we have football practice and Cameron has soccer."

Frank and Cameron have about one hour to hit the books before they're off to practice.

At 5:30 p.m., they have a brief family reunion in a school parking lot, then on it's off to football and soccer.

It's a lot of running around, but the Lusters are motivated.

"When I was a kid I didn't have the same type opportunities that they do and so I want to give them those opportunities," Frank explained.

The boys like their activities but admit how the busy schedule can be tough.

"Right when I come home I have to get dressed for football," Frank Jr. said. "I leave straightaway on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I don't really have anytime to play outside or anything."

Lack of Free, Unstructured Play

The concern with organized activities -- like soccer -- is that they're stealing precious free time from our kids. Researchers say in the last two decades, kids have lost 12 hours a week.

More than 25 years ago, psychologist David Elkind sounded the alarm in his book The Hurried Child.

Now, he says the real danger is the loss of what used to be a childhood staple: free, unstructured play.

"We learn through experience and through play children create new learning experiences that they couldn't have in any other way," Elkind said.

The American Academy of Pediatrics puts some of the blame on schools -- for cutting recess time. The academy believes that can negatively affect the ability to learn.

Elkind says many college professors are aware of play-deprived students: they usually have little imagination or creativity, and their need for structure is so great that they often ask for daily homework assignments.

"What play does is provide nourishment for fantasy, imagination, creativity," Elkind said. "These are like muscles. If you don't use them, you lose them."

Elkind says parents must enforce the exercise of these so-called "muscles."

"Many parents tell me 'I have to put my kids in soccer or in Little League because if I don't -- there's no one else in the neighborhood for them to play with -- they'll be by themselves.' That's fine -- let them have some time for themselves!" Elkind said.

Benefits of Organized Play

But many parents also know that kids in organized activities tend to do better psychologically and academically.

"They do learn to manage their time," Dr. Linda Mintle said. "That's a great thing. They also learn how to be with other people -- how to work with people that are maybe not as easy to get along with as people in their own family."

For Alex and Will Martin, years of busy schedules have paid off with some amazing soccer skills. Their mother Kathy has no regrets.

"At times we just felt overwhelmed with their activities, but really we just learned to enjoy the moment and let them do what they wanted to do," Kathy said.

"I like it the way it is," Will said. "I like always being busy and never being bored."

There's no sure-fire formula to determine if your child is too busy. However, parents and experts agree that balance is key.

"It's always rush, rush, rush. But the joy comes in when you just see them happy with what they're doing, whether it's a win or a loss, and interacting with other families," Christa said.

"And the joy also comes in when we don't have a busy day and they ride their scooter down the street to another cul-de-sac," she added.

Of course, these down moments don't just appear magically.

So experts say, put it on your to-do list because these days, even free time must be planned.