Teenagers and Playing: Are Pastimes Like Neknominate a Usual Response to Adolescence?

• Main Author: Perry Else
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2014-10-01
• Series: Children
• Subjects: benefits of play; play; risk; children and young people’s health; obesity; teenagers; adolescence; integral play framework; brain growth; culture; not-play; play deprivation; technology and play
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/1/3/339

While “outside of society” for much of the last sixty years, adolescents have attracted attention in recent times because of perceptions of their anti-social and, in some cases, violent behaviour. Teenagers face many challenges on their journey to adulthood; growth spurts, hormone developments and changes in the structure of the brain. These biological challenges have been affected since around 1990 by the impact of technology and the subsequent cultural changes. Activities, like the technology-driven, socially-networked pastime, Neknomination, amongst others, meet basic drives that gym-based activities do not. Adults are increasingly concerned about unhealthy patterns of behaviour that suggest that this coming generation of adults will not live as long as their parents, causing misery and putting additional economic pressures on families and society if the expected standards of living and health are to be maintained. The pressures facing teenagers are many, but a concerted effort by adults to change their attitudes towards children and young people to help rather than instruct may assist with meeting their needs and those of society.