“Play is our brains
favorite way of learning”--- Diane Ackerman
“When you asked
me what I did in school today and I say, 'I just played.' Please don’t
misunderstand me. For you see, I am learning as I play. I am learning to enjoy
and be successful in my work. Today I am a child and my work is play”--- Anita Wadley
Growing up, playing outside with my sister and cousins was the best time of my life. I can clearly remember hot summer days when my grandmother would tell us to go outside and play. There was only three reasons we could be in the house: the weather was bad, it was time take a nap, or time to eat lunch. We didn't have a lot of money, so my grandmother would encourage us to use things around us. From turning our grandmother's porch into a car, to designing and performing concerts, to playing kick ball in the street, we were able to freely express ourselves through play.
Today, children aren't given the three reasons to be in the house. Video games and apps have taking over as the free time choice of many children. Unfortunately, parents are busy working and some view a math app as something more important because of the focus on academics; therefore, the encouragement of going outside to play isn't there.
I realize that during those times, I learned how to be a leader, be mindful of others, and think outside of the box. All of these things have help me become who I am today. As an adult, I sometimes wonder what my grandmother was doing while we were outside all day, but I always go back to the crazy adventures that went on and it doesn't even matter.
Dalhia, you and I share similar childhood play. I too played a lot outside with my cousins. We would turn our grandmothers backyard into our own house and role played. It is sad how outside play as disintegrated over the years from playing outside with other kids to being alone in a room staring at a computer or hand held gadget for hours at a time. I feel that children are no longer gaining social communication skills. Sure they can text or Facebook but they cannot hold a normal conversation over the telephone.
ReplyDeleteAmber
Dalhia, I like your post,"today I am a child and my work is play" how true is this,and how important is to play outside and share,communicate, and playing with others,to learn.
ReplyDeletemaria
Hi, Dalhia
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree that children spend so much time in the house. Children need to learn modern technology, but not to the point they forget how to play. I know parents feel it might be dangerous for children now days to go outside and play, but that is where we need to join children outside. My granddaughter has a bike; she was 11 years old when she learned how to ride it, because of the short amount of time she spent outside. When we would have her on the weekends, she would practice riding it. She was so excited the day her grandfather her go and she started riding on her own. I think that’s what kids are missing.
Kathleen
Dalhia,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your post. It made me think of the long summers that I spent at my grandmother's home playing outdoors with friends and family. Unfortunately children today are not given opportunities to play anymore, which makes me wonder about what types of memories our children will have about their own childhoods twenty years from now?
Dalhia,
ReplyDeleteYour adventures of childhood were very similiar to mine. At times even now, I wish I could just turn back the hands of time and revist those days if even for 1 day, just to be a kid again and have no worries in the world.
I often wonder what would happen if the technological world would randomly blow up one day, and all the children would then be forced to find another means of fun and enjoyment... do you think it's even possible, for them to be creative outside and make up games as we did?
Dalhia,
ReplyDeleteI love your post on play. Play is so important in childhood. I feel like kids are loosing those essential play skills today. I hope that we can eventually find a balance between the technological and imaginative world one day.
Crystal