My Connections to Play
“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are
learning…They have to play with what they know to be true in order to find out
more, and then they can use what they learn in new forms of play.” ~ Fred
Rogers (Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood)
“For a small
child there is no division between playing and learning; between the things he
or she does ‘just for fun’ and things that are ‘educational.’ The child learns
while living and any part of living that is enjoyable is also play. ~ Penelope
Leach (psychologist and author)
I loved to watch Mr. Rogers. I mean, really loved. I played with Barbies only because I loved to dress them up in pretty outfits. my mom would sew Barbie clothes for me with material she had left over from the pillows and dresses she would make. So naturally that fed into my insatiable desire for fashion now... My mom and I would go on an outing every other Saturday- yard sale-ing! I found an old medium size chalkboardat a yard sale and my mom bought it for me. I would gather all my papers (usually brochures I picked up at the bank or grocery store, etc) and line up my stuffed animals and teach them with my chalk board and dollar general chalk. Other than going outside to play- this is what I did. I would play fort with my brothers with the couches, sheets, blankets, and flashlights.
Growing up my mom and dad would support my play by joining in with me. I would teach them like they were students and give them tests and grades. Other times, they would leave me to myself and my brothers to play out in the yard, where we usually played a game in which I was the boss. I loved to play and pretend with my brothers. They would get thier action figures and I would get my barabies and we would play together. I would mix dirt and sand and all kinds of earthly objects into a pot and feed them "stew" like my mom did. The list goes on of all the fun things I did as a kid that came natural to me.
Play today is as important to kids development as it was when I was growing up. The difference is the type of play has changed from a more physical and interactive play to a more sedentary play with computers and video games that do a lot of thinking for you. My hope for youth of today is that they would discover the joy of companionship with a best friend, even if that best friend changes every week. And discover outside more and explore again, using their imagination as it comes to them and not as it is portrayed for them on a screen.
Play, in my life, was the way I learned. I learned how to socialize and build realtionships. I learned how not to act as well. I learned that I can't always win or be the boss, and to be okay with that. As an adult, I have learned to take life in stride, to relax more and also to look at children and know that they deserve the opportunities and more, that I had growing up. I also can use my experience with play to help create activities to help my students to use their imagination and develop critical thinking and problem solving skills.
