Play should be full of discovery and fun times. The learning is a bonus! - Becky Evemy
“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” - Plato
"Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning." - Fred Rogers
Three items that remind me of my childhood are pots and pans, legos, and shape sorters.
When I was a child my mom let me play with pots and pans while she worked in the kitchen. She would talk to me about what I was doing while she worked and I played. I think of legos because we had a "Town" that we created with materials much like legos. There was an army green platform in which we created hospitals, houses, etc with cardboard pieces. Included with "The Town" were cardboard people. My brother and I would play with these materials for hours, making up our own stories and endings. I included the shape sorter because it is one of my most favorite learning items for toddlers. I enjoy watching young children play and manipulate the items to see how they can fit them in the holes. During this play, we can really see their minds at work.
Play of today is somewhat similar to how I played when I was a child because children still make up stories and role play real occurrences to figure out their feelings. It does seem that children of today do not actually play and experience with items as much as I did when I was a young child, technology and television have become the forefront of children's time these days. Also, play items have become so commercial these days; children do not play with real-life items such as pots and pans as I did. Many commercial items call for right and wrong actions and not so much of free-play and experimentation.
As adults, most of us forget how to play, or do not make time to play. Play for an adult is more of a leisure activity where the brain is free, not really making connections, as a young child does during play. As adults, our learning connections occur in a more formal manner, like attending college or training courses.
Play is a part of learning and development. As a result, I would love to see schools incorporating more play and recess instead of decreasing it. Play helps social, cognitive, and physical development. Therefore, play is essential for child development.
ReplyDeleteHi Becky,
ReplyDeleteI just love that name. My younger sister that I spent many hours and years in play is Becky.
Pots and pans from a mother's cupboard are such great tools for making play open-ended and fun. I do not remember playing with them myself, but I remember my younger sisters doing so as crawlers and toddlers. It kept them busy as my mother and us older siblings prepared meals. Spending time in the kitchen with my mother and sisters was a bonding and relationship building experience that happened without knowing how important it was. It is important for children to experience such times with their families in work as well as play. It teaches many things, but most importantly it builds strong and lasting ties to those we love.
Thanks for sharing and bringing back memories that I cherish!
Becky-
ReplyDeleteI too used to sit at my mother’s feet for hours in the kitchen and just play and play with the pots and pans. She would cook, and clean, and do laundry. I loved that time, just time with my mom. Isn’t it funny the memories we hold on to from childhood.
It makes me think about my own children. It reminds me of my son today. He and his best friend just played and played and played pretend for several hours. Kids really and truly don’t need much to play. I would have say that today our children are very much dependent on TV and video games to be creative. Thanks for the posts!