"My Connections to Play"

"When you asked me what I did in school today and I say, "I just played." Please don't misunderstand me. For you see, I am learning as I play. I am learning to enjoy and be successful in my work. Today I am a child and my work is play." -Anita Wadley

"Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning but for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.: -Fred Rogers



Some of my most memorable moments of play involves playing outdoors. When I was growing up, from the time my sisters, brother, and I woke up in the morning until it was time for us to come in the house once the street lights came on, we were outdoors playing and exploring the world. My mother provided us with blocks, dramatic play props, books, puzzles, art materials, and many other items that helped support our development indoors and outdooors. We played in mud making mud pies, we used wood to build houses, and we used acorns as balls and a wooden plank as a bat to play baseball. We rode our bikes in the streets, jumped rope, played games such as Red Rover, Hide and Seek, Red Light, Green Light, Stop, Simon Said, and many more games. My mother and grandmother were always outdoors playing with us and our neighborhood friends. My mother would always say, "Who wants to race me" because she ran track when she was in high school and thought that she could beat everybody in a race. We had so much fun playing together.

Play today is different from the play I was engaged in as a child. Many children today think that playing games on their phones, tablets, computers, and other electronic devices is play. They do not want to go outdoors and play games such as Ring Around the Rosy and Hide and Seek. I remember playing these types of games until I was around 15 or 16 years old. When I was growing up, we could go outside and play without our parents checking on us. But nowadays, we have to think about sending our children outside to play because of all the crimes and violence that is going on. Many parents do not feel that it is safe for their children to play outdoors. I must say, I am one of those parents even though I live in a pretty good neighborhood. My children have to play close to the house because I am very concerned about their safety.

My hope for the children today with regard to play is that they are allowed the opportunity to play. They need to have the opportunity to play by themselves and with others. I hope that parents and teachers continue to support children in play and know that play plays a huge role in supporting physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language development.

Play played a significant role throughout my life as a child and is continuing to do so as an adult. As a child, play enhanced my social development. I was able to initiate play with my family, friends, and other peers. Play also enhanced my physical, emotional, cognitive, and language development. Play supported all aspects of my development as a child. Since my mother, grandmother, and early childhood teachers understood and supported play while I was growing up, I am now doing the same for my children at home and school. As an adult, I still love to play. I run around with my children at home and school. I climb structures, read plenty of books, play in the sand and water table, play with blocks, construction toys, play hide and seek, and much, much more.

I have a four year old son so I have to continue to be a big kid at heart!!!!