Two Quotes that summarize what play represented for me in childhood:
“When we treat children's play as
seriously as it deserves, we are helping them feel the joy that's to be found
in the creative spirit. It's the things we play with and the people who help us
play that make a great difference in our lives.”
Fred Rogers
“Children
need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.”
Kay Redfield Jamison professor of psychiatry
Essential play items for my
younger self
 |
| Sheer Joy! dressing up in Grandma's clothes and pretending to be adults. |
 |
| Thanks Granddaddy for the swing you created on the pecan tree |
I feel play is different in the fact that media technology and gadgets are
a huge part of children lives today and hampers children opportunity to play.
Children are not as active today as they were when I was young. I participated
in a lot of outdoor play in tag, hide and seek, digging in dirt, making mud
pies, swinging on the tire or simply running around the front yard. It is my
hope that children always have real opportunities to fully engage and learn
through what comes natural and that is play. I remember looking forward every
day to playing with the cousins that came to Grandma and Granddaddy’s house.
The role of play throughout my
childhood taught me the value of sharing and taking turns. It also helped me
build self-confidence through exploring and figuring out things. As an adult, I appreciate simple things and
take nothing for granted and carry lessons learned from the people I played
with who help made me the person that I am.
Audrey,
ReplyDeleteI like what you said about the importance of taking turns during play.It is true that it is one of the most important skill that stays with us for the rest of our lives as adults. Definetely what children learn during play is valuable in every single way.
Audrey, your so right that the technology that children use today does keep them from actually playing. I'll never forget my oldest daughter having friends over during winter break last year. Each girl actually brought their own handheld game with them. I went to check on them and all of their heads were down looking at their own screens!!! It was the weirdest thing I had ever seen! I do think technology has help our kids but I also think its has hurt their ability to socialize. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteAudery,
ReplyDeleteI forgot about the mud pies LOl. And I see that we all had a place at grand-mas that we loved !!!!!
Audry,
DeleteIts funny because you and I used one of the same pictures. Its the one with the tire. I am in total agreement with you about play today and play when we were younger. I am now as a Educational Mentor for Head Start programs reintroducing the importance of play and having staff to participate with the children. We learned so much through play. It tapped into so many areas of child development. My hope is that play will one day be viewed as being a vital part of the instructional day in the school systems again.