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Helicopter vs. free-range parenting: What are the benefits of unsupervised play?

Young boys play basketball on a playground in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City on November 19, 2025. (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)
Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images
Young boys play basketball on a playground in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City on November 19, 2025. (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)

Mounting evidence suggests a sheltered childhood may do more harm than good. Unsupervised play, once a normal part of American childhood, has largely been superseded by screens, structured activities and safety culture.

Now, a growing body of research suggests unstructured “free time” for kids engenders long-term benefits that far outweigh the risks.

Here & Now‘s Indira Lakshmanan speaks with freelance journalist and parent Simon Lewsen.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR

Here & Now Newsroom