The management of Hi-Impact Planet Amusement Park, Ogun, has advised governments to make recreation part of school’s syllabus for the total development of the child.
The Public Relations Officer )PRO) of the park, Mr Siji Oyesile, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that education without recreation is not a complete syllabus for a holistic training and development of the child.
Oyesile said that the impact of recreation to the development of a child could not be quantified with money spent on such activity.
He said that based on the park’s management belief in recreation as an integral part of education, it hosted no fewer than 2,000 children during the 2016 Children’s Day within its facilities.
“The benefits of providing recreational activities cannot be quantified; unfortunately some of us while growing up did not have this benefit.
“Now that many of us have travelled far and wide, we have seen that the development of the child is not total without recreation .
“We now see that there is the need to do something concrete and positive about it.
“Firstly children cannot get all the trainings and education in the house. They need to be out there, interact and compete with peers.
“Any child that does not recreate may become dull in line with the popular saying, `All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,’’’ he said.
“Recreation also helps them to burn excess fat through participation in games and other activities within the park,’’ he said.
Oyesile said that the children played with various video games they used to see on television channels at the park which added to the fun.
According to him, such games would help to improve the mental alertness of the children in their studies at schools.
Oyesile advised governments to create conducive environments that would encourage private sector’s investment in recreational facilities .
He said that with many parks, gardens and other recreational facilities in place, many families would patronise them.