Shadow education secretary David Willetts told a Daycare Trustconference last week that children's basic learning ability wassuffering as a result of too much sedentary activity and too littleaccess to natural play. A lack of natural, outdoor play opportunities,he said, was inhibiting children's grasp of the basic concepts ofgeometry and science. Children are suffering from a "nature deficitdisorder" and need to "experience the world in three dimensions" if theyare to understand it, he added.
Willetts is leading his party's review of child policy, which hasidentified children's play and outdoor space as a priority.
Meanwhile, speaking out against plans for a flagship city academy inPeterborough that eliminate the traditional school playground and playtime, Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Sarah Teather said:"Keeping children indoors and preventing them from running around andletting off steam is a recipe for disaster ... Without a playground thisschool will have dreadful behaviour problems and miserable pupils. Iencourage concerned parents in Peterborough to pressure the academy tomake changes before they open."
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