My Childhood Connections to Play

“My Connections to Play” It was hard for me to only choose 2 so I posted 5. Childhood Play Quotes: “Play is not only our creative drive; it’s a fundamental mode of learning.” ~ David Elkind (psychologist, author) “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) “Almost all creativity involves purposeful play.” ~ Abraham Maslow (psychologist) “Men should learn to live with the same seriousness with which children play.” ~ Nietzsche (philosopher, writer) “Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.” Kay Redfield Jamison (professor of psychiatry) I can always remember my mom, dad and grandmother telling me to go outside, because I was a little girl and needed to be outside playing instead of sitting in the house. Back then I was considered lazy and did not like to be outside in the hot sun that much, only if I was doing something that interested me such as picking something out of the garden that I wanted to eat, and drive the tractor. Around the ages of 4 or 5 I used to love to play house with my dolls and role play my teachers All of my little cousins were made by bossy little me to be students, and I was the teacher. I used to pass out old text books and extra worksheets that I had gotten from teachers and I used to pass I would check them and everything. My mom encouraged me to continue and become a teacher. She would fix lunch and dinner and tell us its lunch time. She would also let us go through the cafeteria line and would serve us as we went through. My dad was a farmer so he would take me out in the fields and together we would plant things such as strawberries, watermelons, corn, apple trees etc. Then we would go back when it was time to harvest the crops and we would dig and pick the fruits and vegetables. When I would get tired he would let me sit on the tractor and pretend as though I was farming by myself. My father wanted me to get dirty, he stated that is what the washer machine and dryer is for whereas my mom wanted me to stay clean, and neat just as a little girl should be. When I was younger we played using our creativity and imagination. We were capable of making things to play such as hopscotch, or we would swing on the swing set, jump on the trampoline, play basketball out in the back yard, pretending to play school or house with dolls and etc. The only time most of today’s children are outside is when they are coming out of the house getting into the car to go somewhere. Instead of creativity, imagination, they would rather live in the technology world, video games, phones, Ipads etc. When growing up I did not really realize the importance of play. Once I became an adult it was like no time for play just work, work, work, until I had my first child, and I revisit the enjoyable and fun times I missed when I was younger. Now with a 8 yr old who usually plays with the neighborhood kids, and my 2 year old in which I find myself playing all the time. Most of the time I don’t realized that I am playing until after it was all over. I have came to realize that no matter how young or old you. This is me at the age of 5 or 6 getting ready to take my new doll I got for Christmas along with my other dolls and we are getting ready to begin our school day (pretend school). I don’t have many childhood pictures that show me playing and interacting with other peers so I decided to post this picture of my son Savion, and my daughter Lailah, and we are enjoying the snow. My daughter was very excited to explore the snow since this is her 1st time ever. Sorry having some computer issues with trying to upload these pictures.