Several months back, I answered a question from a parent who was bemoaning that in her community, structured activities for preschoolers have become the standard by which a mom is measured — that is, the more activities a preschooler is enrolled in, the better the mom. My petitioner specifically mentioned Kindermusik and Gymboree, to which I responded that while none of the activities in question were harmful per se, the harm was in the fact that today's children are not obtaining the benefits of sufficient unstructured imaginative play. The villains are well-intentioned adults who believe they must micromanage everything children do for children to obtain full benefit.

I pointed out that kids seem to have gotten along fine before adults decided they could not figure out how to play on their own. In the process of directing their own play, kids learned social skills, including negotiation, that today's kids miss. I also mentioned that no one has yet demonstrated what disadvantage, exactly, accrues to a child whose preschool years are absent these exercises in micromanagement. Although I did not mention Kindermusik in my reply, nearly 100 Kindermusik teachers sent me e-mails (of which half looked suspiciously similar).

I am revisiting that column to make clear that I stand firm on the issue. I don't care how supposedly valuable any given preschool activity is; I am disturbed by the fact that so few of today's kids are being allowed to just play. Instead, their discretionary time is organized and directed by adults who believe they are on an anointed mission to "improve" them. The consequence is that these children are deprived of the full benefit of childhood. Adult over-involvement only worsens until the teen years, by which time kids, unable to make creative use of their time, turn to such mind-numbing activities as video games.

Shortly after that column appeared, psychologist David Elkind's latest book, "The Power of Play" (Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2006), hit the shelves. Every parent should read this book. Elkind says play is being "silenced" by adult-organized activities, TV, video games, and an over-emphasis on academics that has led to the shortening of recess and physical education. He makes a readable, fascinating case for adults who are childhood-friendly instead of focused on making sure their kids participate in every "advantage" available.

What it boils down to is that most adults no longer possess a sense of proper boundaries where kids are concerned. Low adult involvement is still a liberating thing for adult and child. Elkind recommends that you give it a try, and I second that emotion.

Family psychologist John Rosemond answers parents' questions at www.rosemond.com.