Thursday, January 26, 2012

" My Connections to Play"

“My Connections to Play”
In our play we reveal what kind of people we are.
By: Ovid
Roman poet
43 BC–17 or 18 AD

Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.

By: Kay Redfield Jamison
Contemporary American professor of psychiatry
  





 Two children playing hide-and-seek.

 

 My parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins supported play when I was a young child.  I can remember on Sundays we would go into the yards and play kickball the entire day. The pictures of the children playing tag, hide and seek, and patty cake were some of the play activities that I endured during my childhood. It was such a fun time in my life, because I was spending time with my family in a playful manner.  Play was a big part of my life, because we were raised to spend our afternoons and weekends on the outside.  Even, when the weather was cold, we still would go outside and play.  In the summer time we would pretend that we were Indians and we would build tepees. My family encouraged play by providing outdoor and indoor materials that gave us an opportunity to learn and share experiences. 


Today play is not the same for younger children.  We encourage, support, and create play in the classrooms, but from another observant view of play I feel that children are not really indulging in play like we use to as children.  I remember that we tried to teach the children “Simon Says” and they were totally not engaged.  Children today are not focused on play, instead they would rather be entertained by playing video games or on the computer.  However, children still love to play “Hide and Seek’ and “Lil Sally Walker”.  Furthermore children still like to run and be rough while they are playing.  Play is important because it focuses on the physical and social development of young children. If more play was incorporated in the home and school, childhood obesity will decline. I feel that play should be re-enforced because it gives children a concept of being free to explore and be creative as they share experiences with family and friends.


Play in my childhood was a wonderful experience.  Play taught me how to balance out my life and not be intense about stressful events.  Today play is still a key concept in my adulthood.  I engage in play with the children in my class, and I spend countless hours of play with my own children, family, and friends.  The role of play in my childhood has continued throughout my adulthood, and I want to continue to have play in my life as I grow older with my children and family.  I want my children to have the same experience with play the same way I did.

6 comments:

  1. I could not agree more. It seems as though children play so much indoors now. I notice this even with my own daughter. She complains when she has to go out that she is hot or bored. From an early age, our children are so overstimulated by television shows and video games, that I truly believe that they find games like tag or Ring Around the Rosie quite boring. Our students at school have recently been allowed to bring toys outside with them. I dislike this. Where they used to run around and play on the slides and swings, they are now playing cars or dolls in the corner. While that is play and that is good, they are missing out on physical activity.

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  2. Tamieka,
    I liked your quotes and I almost picked the first one you listed for my blog as well! Our play does reveal the kind of people we are, even as adults. I think you "hit the nail on the head" when you talked about play helping you balance out your life and not get too stressed about events in life. I believe that is the key to health.

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  3. Tamieka
    I love the photos you used to display forms of play. I also agree that children should be more active and also that they should explore different forms of play. Play is an activity that opens the door to explore. Thanks for sharing!

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  4. Hi Tamieka

    I loved playing those games when I was a kid, we still play them with the students. Hide and seek is an excellent game to help with physical development. i love the quote "play is a necessity
    " because children need play to develop.

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  5. Hi Tamieka,
    Children today have no idea what they are missing lol.Iloved playing hop scoth and green light red light.I am happy for programs like Early Head Start who still understand the importance of play and how it effects development.Love your blog.

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  6. Hi Tamieka,

    Play was a huge part of my life too. I still feel like the days and summers were really long back when I was little becuase I just remember playing forever. Children learn so much about themselves and the world by playing and being active.

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