"My Connection to Play"

“My Connection to Play”

1. In our play we reveal what kind of people we are.

Ovid
Roman poet
43 BC–17 or 18 AD

2. Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.

Fred Rogers
American television personality
1928–2003

3."Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning."

Mr. Rogers

“Play Items”

 

                                     

 

 

                                              

“Supported Play”

When I was a child, play was supported just about by every adult whom I had contact with. Whether by my parents, grandparents, or relatives, play was almost demanded by the adults. I’m not sure if they wanted the children out of their way while they cleaned the house or prepared meals, all children where encourage or told to play outside. I can remember as early as 2 years old running and playing in my huge backyard. By the time I would return back inside of our home, I was filthy with mud, dirt, and dust. I consider these day by best days. I was free to be messy and unclean and my mother did not mind at all. When I was old enough to play outside alone, my mother would send my siblings and I outdoors for hours at a time. We were encouraged to run and play with our friends. My mother and father would purchase dolls, doll clothing, writing paper, pencils, crayons, coloring books, bikes, balls, jump ropes , and so many more items to support our play efforts. It seemed like every one of my birthday, I received some sort of new play item.

I can remember playing at my friend’s house next door. Her father worked for the train company and always brought home big old tires, ropes, and many other strange looking items for us children to engage in. We would play hide and seek inside of the tires. We would play tug of war with the large ropes. WE had so much fun. My parents and the other parents of my childhood somehow understood the importance of play without having to study. They made sure that we all received plenty of outdoors time for play and they supplied us with lots and lots of play materials tom male our play experiences more enjoyable.  

As a child, play helped me to understand who I was and what I wanted to do as an adult. As a child I did not realize but now I do. When I was a little girl, I always found myself playing “teacher” with my siblings and friends. I would give each of my friends made of assignments and I would even correct them when they were all done. I always wanted to play house. Meaning, I would have myself be the mother of the children. I would organize our child created playhouse area. Sometimes it would be made out of an old sheet or blanket thrown across a couple of outdoor chairs. I would sweep the dirt outside of the house. I would organize the dishes and other household items that we had to play with. My mother would give me her old pots and pans to keep outdoors for our play. Taking care of the children and nurturing and feeding them. I believe that these play experiences directed me into the field of child development. As a teenager, I started babysitting my neighbor’s younger children on the weekends. My love and excitement of caring for others grew humongous.

“Play Today”

            Play today is the same and then it is different from play when I was a child. Today play is very important in many programs and children are engaged in different types of play experiences. When I was younger, I played most of my days. I had my academic assignments but while at school we had 2-3 recess. Today’s play is different because many parents do not allow their children to play freely as they choose. Children are isolated in homes glued to video games or cell phones. When I was growing up, we did not have those gadgets. Our sole entertainment was playing outdoors and making up our own entertainment. Then again, my mother was a stay home mom who was home early in the day to where I could play outdoors. Now days, children are raised in homes where either parents work all day or there’s only one parent in the home who works many hours. Children are enrolled in after school programs and daycare which does not get the children home early enough for outdoor activities. Times have surely changed and it has affected the role play has in the lives of our children.

My hopes for the young children of our future is for each of them to stick to the roots of playing with peers, building cars and airplanes, creating play houses, imitating role models, and so much more. As one of my Colleagues mentioned in an earlier post, play allows the child to learn in a natural way. Learning is not forced or guided, but learned in the most respectful way “natural”.