Playing games on the playground in the company of friends, besides fitness makes a child more social and improvises their socializing skills and self-development. They learn to tackle problems and make more friends and learn how to overcome challenges. Before the technology boom would hit Goa, children enjoyed a healthy lifestyle which involved a lot of outdoor activity and games. Once home from school, children enjoyed a hearty meal before heading out to play in the sun. Play helps build relationships and improves control, overcome trauma, and problem-solving. It helps children develop the cognitive, physical, creative, social, and emotional skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Betalbatim-based Princeton Rebello started playing football at the age of four and would find every opportunity to ead to the playground which was five minutes from his home or to the beach which was at a ten minute distance. “In my childhood, I loved playing on the playground and it was not a smooth ground, just an open areas with stones. But it was a different joy to kick the ball around with children of my age. I would come home from school, have lunch and go for tuitions and then play. Sometimes I would write a note to my tuition teacher to leave me earlier with my mother’s sign. It was always football and at that time
I never knew I reach this height with the game. Now I see myself in other children when they play on the playground,” says Princeton, a professional footballer who played for I-League and Indian Super League.
Milton Fernandes, assistant director of Sports at Goa University has been a sports educator for decades including teaching at St Xavier’s College, Mapusa. “Playing outdoors is very important and vital for the wholesome growth of child. If they don’t, it is stunting their growth and overall development. Physical activity is very important for children especially now when they are mostly glued with the screen,” says Milton.
However, while children have better technology in their hands, there are much more people who are encouraging children to play and play right too at a young age. “Now, there are better facilities and youth programmes ar the grassroot level with people putting their hands and minds together. They are systematically training children at a young age before they reach the college level. It is very important to encourage children to play as they are the sportspersons of the future,” explains Milton.