Childhood Connections to Play

 “The activities that are the easiest, cheapest, and most fun to do – such as singing, playing games, reading, storytelling, and just talking and listening – are also the best for child development.” – Jerome Singer (professor, Yale University)

“Play is the highest expression of human development in childhood, for it alone is the free expression of what is in a child’s soul.” – Friedrich Froebel (founder of the concept of kindergarten)

     My parents always encouraged us to play outside, if the sun was shining, there was no need to be sitting inside. I had seven brothers and sister so material things were far in between. Whatever we got for Christmas and birthdays we took care of it because we understood that it would be a long time before we saw any news toys. We had our imagination, a jump rope, metal skates that needed a key, jumping jakes and lots of  balls.  We would go outside and just invent games and have fun.

    In preschool I remember blocks wooden ones and big cardboard blocks, red, blue, yellow and green. We would use our imaginations to build houses, schools and vehicles. We had jump ropes, hula hoops, hop scotch and swings. The thing I remembered most was our teacher hope scotching with us.    

     Play is very different from when I was younger, children today spend large amounts of time in front of screens – television, video, and computer. TV Turn-off Network cites figures from the Nielson Media report of 2000 which indicate that children from 2 to 17 spend on average 19 hours and 40 minutes per week (or nearly three hours per day) watching television. Combining videos and computers, children spend a total of nearly five hours per day in front of screens.  In addition, many children are profoundly influenced by the often violent, fast paced and sexual content of television, films and computer games.  

     Overall I've learned a lot through play, play it taught me how to think for myself,  and how share. I was allowed the time to play by both my parents and teachers which helped with my development. Today I make sure to give the children plenty of time for creative play and free-choice interest area play. I love seeing children outside playing, inventing games, using their imaginations, and being creative.  

Reference:

Article: Almon, K. (2002). The vital role of play in early childhood education. Gateways, 43. Retrieved from http://www.waldorfresearchinstitute.org/pdf/BAPlayAlmon.pdf