My Connection to Play

Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning. ~ Fred Rogers

In our play we reveal what kind of people we are. ~ Ovid

Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning. ~ Diane Ackerman

                                                                                   

  

When I was a child it seemed like things were so much simpler than it is today. We had no worries about anything. I remember going outside and playing for hours with my siblings and my cousins. We would pretend we were in a marching band, play “tag”, basketball/volleyball, go swimming, and climb up in the hills to see what we could find. We would play until it was dark outside. Weather never stopped us from playing and using our imagination. My favorite activity when I was younger was playing school and playing with my baby dolls.

I was always the teacher when we all played school. I would have old books I would hand out and they would have paper and pencils. I would have them write their names 10 times or work math problems. I loved the feeling of helping others and them depending on me to help them learn new things.

I could play with baby dolls for hours even if I was playing alone. I would pretend to fix the baby her meals, bath her, change her, dress her up in pretty dresses, and take her to the doctor for check-ups. I loved taking care of babies and nurturing them. I have always loved babies and always wanted kids of my own and they desire is still strong in my heart. My favorite activities as a child really influenced my career choice in life. I have always wanted to work with children and feel like I’m making a difference in their life.

My parents were big supporters of play when I was younger. They were always involved in our life and the activities we chose to participate in at school. My mom would play school with us. She would make out work sheets for us, quiz us on want we have learned, provide us with lunch and then we went outside for recess. She would push us on the swing and play games with us. She was always a volunteer at our school and supported us in everything. My dad always coached us in sports (basketball and softball) even though I wasn’t very good he would practice with us all the time and encouraged us to try our best at everything we done. Together as a family we would also have “Family Night” and we would sit around talking and playing games or watch a movie and that was very important in my development I think and that is a big part of who I am.

Children and play today has changed so much since I was young. I know there is more danger and concerns today than they were back then, but parents still need to encourage play and interactions with us for their children. Most children today stay inside watching television, playing video games, listening to their iPods, text messages on their cell phones, and working on the computer and it seems like younger children are getting caught up into this also. The children are not getting exercise by running and playing outside and they are not being encouraged to pretend play and use their imagination to be someone else or to visit a place they have never been before. Play and interactions with others builds a child’s social development and they are learning from one another and by imitating and watching others.

I watch my soon to be stepson play with his wrestling men and how he uses his imagination to make them go to different planets, how he can turn into spider  man and he saves the world, and my favorite is when he turns into the Hulk. This is the kind of play that should be encouraged because kids have just great imaginations and that shouldn’t be wasted.