Why Singaporean Children Are Losing Free Play Opportunities

The landscape of childhood play in Singapore is changing, with children increasingly spending less time in unstructured outdoor activities. A recent study by the non-profit organization Suncare SG highlights the growing trend, revealing that nearly one in five parents report their children spend less than one hour outdoors on weekends. This shift reflects a broader societal change, as safety concerns and structured schedules dominate the lives of many families.

Twelve-year-old Geralyn Gui is one of many children whose playtime is tightly managed around her academic and extracurricular commitments. Each weekday, Geralyn has just one hour to play with friends before her evening wushu lessons. Under the watchful eye of her mother, Selena Tay, a 49-year-old flexi-adjunct teacher, she engages in activities like tag or visits to the library. “We would also like her to play unsupervised, but supervision is more for ensuring safety,” Tay explains, reflecting the cautious approach many parents now adopt.

The trend is echoed by fellow parent Quek Jia Ling, who has structured her children’s lives around enrichment classes, leaving limited time for spontaneous interactions. Her children, aged four and seven, alternate between activities like dance and swimming, with tightly controlled playtime further limiting their opportunities for free play.

This emphasis on structured activities is prevalent among Singaporean families. According to the Suncare SG study conducted in 2024, many children’s outdoor playtime has dwindled, as parents prefer supervised, organized events. This mirrors a global trend where children’s time for unstructured play has been declining over recent decades. A brief from the Alliance for Childhood notes that children in the United States spent 50% less time in free outdoor activities by 2010 compared to the 1970s.

Dr G Kaveri, a senior lecturer in early childhood education at Singapore University of Social Sciences, attributes this shift to parents’ preference for structured activities, which they perceive as safer and more beneficial. While these programs can offer valuable skills, Dr Isabelle Gaffney, founder of A Heapful of Hope, stresses the importance of unstructured play for developing social skills and emotional connections among peers. “Children who only see their friends at school may be limited in their ability to advance these friendships unless they get to grow them outside of school,” she notes.

The impact of these changes is significant. Parents like Quek feel the pressure of rising academic expectations, often leading to the prioritization of enrichment classes over free play. “When you see your child’s classmates attending so many classes, you wonder if your own child is losing out,” she admits.

For families, the challenges extend beyond scheduling. Parents express concerns about safety and the changing urban environment. Singapore’s newer housing blocks often lack the open spaces that older models provided, making it harder for children to play freely. Tay highlights that children must venture further from home to find suitable areas, which can deter spontaneous outdoor play.

The implications of this shift are far-reaching. Dr Gaffney warns that the lack of unstructured playtime can hinder children’s ability to form deep friendships during critical developmental stages. “Missing out on time together can curtail their main outlet for sharing emotions and cause them to feel left out,” she states.

As children turn to online interactions, the dynamics of friendship are evolving. Many parents impose strict screen-time limits on their pre-teens, resulting in limited opportunities for digital socialization as well. The shift towards virtual connections has its pros and cons, with some youths like Ms Loh Yong Qi, now 19, finding solace in online communities where they connect over shared interests. “In real life, I can’t really fit in or find a community. But online, it feels effortless,” she explains.

The 2024 report from the Institute of Policy Studies indicates younger Singaporeans have fewer close friends than previous generations, which raises concerns about social isolation. The pandemic further exacerbated these issues, limiting face-to-face interactions and contributing to a decline in meaningful relationships.

Dr Choo Hyekyung from the National University of Singapore emphasizes the importance of in-person connections. “Face-to-face interactions offer irreplaceable opportunities for reading non-verbal cues and resolving conflicts,” she states, suggesting that online interactions, while beneficial for some, cannot substitute for the rich experiences of physical play.

Despite the challenges, many youths express that having online interactions is better than none at all. For example, 14-year-old Germaine Tan manages a hectic schedule filled with taekwondo training and school commitments, often turning to her phone to maintain connections with friends. Her mother, Tang, acknowledges the limitations but allows her daughter some digital freedom, recognizing the need for social interaction amidst busy lives.

The evolving nature of play in Singapore reflects a complex interplay of safety concerns, academic pressures, and urban development. Parents, educators, and experts alike recognize the importance of fostering environments that allow children to engage in both structured activities and free play, ensuring they develop the social and emotional skills necessary for their growth. It is essential to balance safety and structure with the freedom to explore, learn, and interact organically, ensuring that future generations do not miss out on the fundamental joys of childhood.