My Connections to Play

Play is our brain's favorite way of learning.

Diane Ackerman
Contemporary American author

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

Fred Rogers
American television personality
1928–2003

 I remember wanting to do nothing more than see the world (my neighborhood) on my bike.

 This was the greatest toy ever! my neighbors and I would play in the sand box for hours with the G.I. Joes, making forts, and sand pits, loved being a tom boy.

 The best place to play and get dirty at the same time!

When I was younger my grandparents always encouraged me playing as I wanted to. I know that when I came home from school there was homework first or when I was real young a small lesson or simple talk about letters or numbers things of that nature, then it was time to change into play clothes, and I was off. The type of play that was encouraged was whatever I wanted, if I wanted to ride a bike I did, If I wanted to play Barbies I did, I was never limited as to what type of play. I was brought up to believe that if a boy could do it so could I, and to this day I still believe that.

I notice with the children I see in the daycare I work at and with the children in my neighborhood, play is very different. I see a lot of violence with the boys, when they do come outside. I know I loved X Men when I was younger but we always played with a story line in our heads, today all I see is "I have a gun and I'm going to kill you". Another thing that I notice is the lack of wanting to play outside. So many kids I know would rather be in the house in front of the TV playing video games. One of friends children was told to go play outside, so he did. When we walked outside 20 min. later he was playing outside...on his DS. That bothers me to no end. Be active, ride a bike, dig a hole, something other than exercising yoiur thumbs.

My life has always revolved around play. I am constantly reminded that I am thirty going on four. I have no problem with this. Life is too short to be serious all the time. What kind of life would it be if we never cracked a smile or told a silly joke or laughed when we saw a child do something silly? I would be bored to tears. Play was always a part of life for me and I am planing on keeping it that way.

Quotes from:

The strong. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.thestrong.org/about-play/play-quotes