My Connections to Play

Quotes
Each of these quotes describe play as a doorway to imagination and dreams.  I believe that play for me, as a child, revolved completely around imagination and creativity.

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

Joan Almon
Contemporary American educator

When children pretend, they’re using their imaginations to move beyond the bounds of reality. A stick can be a magic wand. A sock can be a puppet. A small child can be a superhero.

Fred Rogers
American children’s television host
1928–2003

We all need empty hours in our lives or we will have no time to create or dream.

Robert Coles
Contemporary American child psychologist

Essential Play Items

While I had plenty of toys to occupy my time, most of my play occurred through imaginative play with my brother and sister.  We used our surroundings to create an imaginary world in which to occupy ourselves. 

Play was essential to my childhood.  Living in a rural area of Maryland, we did not have access to cable television or Internet until much later in my life, so activities revolved around my brother, sister, and I creating our own entertainment with what we could find around us.  We were lucky to have a large outdoor area and a variety of objects to occupy our time.  All of my free time was spent engaged in meaningful play activities which were supported by my parents and family members.  I was held to standards to achieve in school and complete my homework, but there was no forced academic work after school or during the summer vacations.  My siblings and I were provided with many toys in which to play, but also used objects that we could find around the house to make believe with. 

Play today is much different than play when I was a child.  Children today have access to so much technology, including computers, video games, and television.  Hours are spent in front of the television or video games, which can limit children’s creativity and imagination.  These items were not as accessible when I was a child and therefore, I had to use my imagination to create these images myself.  There is also a huge push away from play and more towards academics.  When I was in Kindergarten, (I didn’t attend a pre school) it was only half day and much of the day was devoted to play in the classroom.  I clearly remember playing in the kitchen with other children, which was one of my favorite activities.  There was also a lot of time spent at recess, playing and exploring outside.  I do not see hardly any opportunity for play in Kindergarten in the school in which I work.  The classroom is set up with tables and a group area, all emphasizing the importance of literacy and math skills.  The environment I remember from Kindergarten seems to be non existent in the classrooms I see in the public school setting.  I hope that the concept about the importance of play can be communicated to parents and educational leaders.  I hope that play can be incorporated into the school setting once again because children are clearly lacking the social skills that develop through the important skill of play. 

Having the ability to play unrestricted helped me to develop into the well rounded individual I am.  After reading the articles for this week, I understand the role play has in the development of both cognitive and socioemotional skills.  I believe that the skills learned through meaningful play are carried on throughout childhood and into adulthood.  Play is essential to developing into functioning adults.