"My Connections to Play."

"Play is a major avenue for learning to manage anxiety. It gives the child a safe space
where she can experiment at will, suspending the rules and constraints of physical and
social reality. In play, the child becomes master rather than subject.... Play allows the
child to transcend passivity and to become the active doer of what happens around her."

--Alicia F. Lieberman, author, The Emotional Life --

of the Toddler

 

“When kids play, they remember. They may not be aware they are learning, but they sure
are aware they are having fun. When you have a good belly laugh with your siblings or
parents or friends, that stays with you. And the great thing is that is comes so naturally…
if we only let it.”

--Rebecca Krook, play facilitator for kids with

disabilities

 

 

Each of these images remind me of my childhood.  I was the only child until the age of 5.  During this time so enjoyed being the "girl" in my dad's life.  My dad would take me to Toys R Us just about every week to pick out a my little pony.  I had a very large collection.  When my cousins would come over, we played for hours pretending to be different characters with these ponies. 

 

At age 5 my brother was born.  Two years later another brother was born and a year after my parents adopted my sister.  In the back yard of our home my dad built a play set with a swing, slide , and fort.  We spent hours playing on this set.  Some times my mother would have to make us come in from playing so long.  Also my neighborhood friends enjoyed the play set as well.

 

When I was 6 I began playing T-Ball.  My dad being an athlete himself loved sports and I instantly fell in love with the game as well.  It came very natural to me and was extremely fun as a child.  This sport had so much influence on my childhood that it became a large part of what molded me in to the person I am and the life I have today.  I played through college and continue to play in adult leagues.

 

I believe that play today has changed for children because of the advancement in technology.  There is more television watching an vidiogame playing than what I remember as a child.  Also thinking back to my childhood,  all of the neighborhood children would play out side for hours at a time and this is something that I don't see as much in my neighborhood now.  On the other hand, as a parent today, I'm not sure that I would give my child the independent freedom of play that I was given years ago.