My Connections to Play!

PLAY QUOTES:

"Play energizes us and enlivens us. It eases our burdens. It renews our natural sense of optimism and opens us up to new possibilities."

Stuart Brown, MD
Contemporary American psychiatrist

"Creative play is like a spring that bubbles up from deep within a child."

Joan Almon
Contemporary American educator

Growing up, my grandfather was very strict and all about school work. He didn't emphasize play too much, but on some level he realized it was important for us to play and would allow us to go outside on Sundays to play. It wasn't at the playground, but just across the street from the house where he could see us. My sister, cousins, and I had a great time playing and talking together and with other children. I just remember feeling freedom from a strict household. Play was definitely a mental and social outlet for me. Despite his strictness, my grandfather did allow us to participate in holiday play festivities like trick-or-treating and Easter egg hunting. During the school week, I was allowed to play with my barbies after my homework was completed. That was an incentive to do my homework and it worked.

Play is different today than when I was growing up because children don't tend to go outside anymore. Besides the fact that it is a lot less safer, they are too hooked to television and video games. That is there play time and they miss out on so many benefits of interactive play (physical, social, cognitive). Play is also different because there are more organized sports and parents and coaches are focused more on winning and the fun of it gets lost. 

My hope for young people in this generation is to get up from the television and video games, and get outside and be social (with parental supervision). My hope is that parents will come to the realization that they are doing their children a dis-service by allowing them to watch hours and hours of television and that their children are missing out on a vital component of their childhood- play.

Play was a mental and emotional outlet for me from the tyrannical household I grew up in. During my play time with my barbies, I would imagine and pretend play about getting out of my household, going to college, getting married, and having children. My Barbie collection became my escape or saving grace. I got lost in imaginary pretend play with my Barbie dolls. It took me away from a troubled household where I could be free to pretend I was rich, had nice clothing, and went to fancy dinners. This is the life I wanted for myself and eventually my pretend play became reality (not the rich part yet...lol). Now as an adult, I work hard so I can play hard. Play is still important to me. I go to the movies, out to dinner, parties, and vacation. I still have my Barbie doll collection, so in a couple of years I will pass it on to my daughter and I cant wait to see her get lost in a world of imagination. The only difference is she wont have to do it as an escape from anything! And that makes me happy because I am raising her differently.