Connections to Play

Quotes about childhood play:

Play for young children is not recreation activity,... It is not leisure-time activity nor
escape activity.... Play is thinking time for young children. It is language time. Problem-
solving time. It is memory time, planning time, investigating time. It is organization-of-
ideas time, when the young child uses his mind and body and his social skills and all his
powers in response to the stimuli he has met.

                                                                        --James L. Hymes, Jr., child development specialist, author

It is a happy talent to know how to play.

                                                                     --Ralph Waldo Emerson, philosopher, poet, essayist

         

    









These three things were essentials when I was a child.  I always had a jump rope and still do.  Cabbage Patch kids were the only dolls I would play with and I treated them like they were my children.  And a kickball was essential because all the kids that lived on our block would come together for games of kickball and dodge ball.  Kickball was a neighborhood favorite.

My mother is an early childhood teacher so she always understood the importance of play.  As a child all I remember doing was playing, whether it was inside, outside, or at the ball park.  My brother and I always played.

The only way I think play is similar is that all children like to play.  They may not play the same games as we did growing up but they still want to play.  I grew up in the 80's and all I can remember is wanting to play outside.  My brother and I would get up on Saturday mornings, do our chores as quickly as possible and get outside to play.  Children these days only want to be involved in electronics.  Whether it's a game system, computer or some sort of music device.  Cell phones are even becoming big with children at a young age.  I grew up with all boys so I was a tomboy.  I could run faster and play sports better than a lot of the boys and I enjoyed it.  Now girls want to be cute all the time.  I miss the games of kickball, hide and seek, kick the can and dodgeball.

The role of play is very important because it teaches so many things.  I think adults forget how to play.  Adults need a little playtime here and there also.  We as adults and educators need to encourage play as much as we can.