My Connections to Play

Quotes about play and my childhood:

Play fosters belonging and encourages cooperation. 

~Stuart Brown

In our play we reveal what kind of people we are. 

~Ovid

My Essential Items of Play as a Young Child:

As a child, I loved to play with dolls.  Through them I learned how to be nurturing.  As an only child, they also served as “friends.”  My favorite doll was a Cabbage Patch doll that went everywhere with me. 

The model kitchen was also a favorite pastime of mine.  It was later passed down to younger cousins.  Here through socio-dramatic play we learned how to interact with one another and probably assumed gender roles as well. 

How People Supported Play and the Role of Play in my Childhood:

Play served as a means of exploration, learning, and reinforcement.  I learned how to interact with others, play alone, and how to experience the world around me in a fun manner.  My parents were always receptive to listening me play and often interacted with me.  As an only child, I often played with older cousins who would teach me through play.  From playing with them I learned how to tie my shoes, braid, sew, and even make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  Everyone around me supported play including interacting with my imaginary friend.  I now know that imaginary friends serve the purpose of teaching us how to interact with others around us. 

Similarities and Difference in Play Then and Now:

When I was young, most play occurred outside.  We loved to explore nature and run.  It was nothing like having the fresh breeze brush against our skin.  Today, most play occurs indoors.  Video games and television monopolize the majority of play.  People are also less trusting to send children outside to play.  However, children do still have imaginary friends and still play in a “rough and tumble” fashion as well as pretend play.  I believe that play still serves the purpose of learning and exploration.  My hope for younger children is that they are able to learn through play in schools like I was able to.  This made school fun, exciting, and engaging. 

Role of Play Throughout Life:

Play not only builds schema for young children and affords them to the opportunity to practice new skills, but it also allows them the ability to experience life in a fun and exciting way.  Adults often forget that play serves to re-energize us and relax us from the daily stresses of life.  Play later on in life provides opportunities to meet new people and experience new things, just as it does in childhood.  

The model kitchen was also a favorite pastime of mine.  It was later passed down to younger cousins.  Here through socio-dramatic play we learned how to interact with one another and probably assumed gender roles as well.