I vividly remember 35 years my kindergarden having a leaking roof, and the ensuing 'chaos', with all groups together and all toys spread around, led to a sense of freedom and interaction and play I hadn't had otherwise. Similarly I fondly remember many stretches of extended free time during my school years but also times of pressure, boredom and a sense failure at school.

I believe that this sort of exceptional free time does wonder for the psyches of those kids. The sense of "occupying" the public parks that are usually dominiated by grown ups is something kids these days don't often have. Back in the days we still wandered around in groups and had a chance to explore a forest or whatever.