Regardless of the cause, the underdevelopment of leisure skills puts students—and those working with them—at a great disadvantage. The role of leisure skills in the overall progress of children impacted by emotional and behavioral challenges and by those impacted by developmental disabilities is outlined below in a long list of reasons for developing play and leisure skills. Revisiting these ideas can help support children in developing these skills even inside an academic environment.
Reasons for developing play and leisure skills include; Relief and Restore, Distraction, Reward Potency, Mood Regulation, Locus of Control, Social Connection, Engagement in the Present and others.
