My Connections to Play
Here are some of the essential play items that I enjoyed from my younger years :)
I can remember when I was younger my grandparents basement was full with all of our toys and games.
We had roller skates, roller blades, scooters, bikes, big wheels, jump ropes, basketballs, baseballs, footballs, soccer balls, hula hoops, Frisbee and anything else that would keep us kids busy playing outside.
Having four sibling was a lot of fun at times however it was also challenging at times too. While playing together we had to learned how to share with each other, take turns, cooperate, be nice, and solve our problems. "Sometimes playing was hard work". :/
Children today spend most of their time in the house on their cell phones, computer, playing video games, or watching t.v.
I really wish children of today had more opportunities to experience activities outside that I had when I was a child.
I can remember that I had so much fun playing outside that I did not want to come inside to eat dinner. :) My mom would call us and call us to come inside and we would say "5 more minutes mom please". ;)
Laughing, smiling, jumping and running is what we called playing when I was younger and spending time outside with my friends and siblings was the best part of my childhood.
Having a connection with my peers and enjoying our play time is what life was all about as a child for me.
As an adult I still love to play and have fun! :) I have grown to be a very competitive person. I enjoy playing basketball (especially one on one with my daughter) ;) and I enjoy nature and being outside going on hikes, riding bikes, camping and fishing.
I love your first quote about letting children be children. I struggle everyday whether to make my 6 year old clean up her room or to let her play outside with her 2 year old brother. I want her to enjoy her childhood but also be responsible. Play is so important for the development of our children that it pains me to see children sitting on the couch watching TV and playing video games all day. I am happy to know that your childhood was filled with play and friends!
ReplyDeleteThanks Amanda, your daughter is lucky because my grandparents did not allow us to play outside if we did not do our chores. :/ I can remember cleaning up my room so fast( meaning putting everything and anything under the beds and in the closet) to go out side. ;) When my daughter was six years old I use to help her pick up her room. I would say you do the toys and I'll hang up the clothes or you put he cloths away and I'll do the toys we worked as a team :) just to give her that sense of responsibility. Even today I'll wash the dishes and she dries them or she will wash them and ill dry them. She also can not go to the mall or ride her bike until her chores is complete, and homework is done. Play is important but business comes first.:)) I always say hard work makes play more fun! once you get older after working hard we need to play harder! ;)
ReplyDeleteAH! You gave me some good ideas! I'm home alone with the kids most of the time because of the shift my husbands works but she does love to help out! We do usually clean her room together and she has gotten to where she almost gets it done by herself.
ReplyDeletegood job kids love to help out we think its work to clean they think its fun :)
DeleteHello Nicole, I really enjoyed your blog its very colorful and vibrant. I see that we played a lot of the same games when we were younger. I did a lot of outside play when I was younger even though my teachers or parents didn't really talk about the importance of play. I never though about the importance of play to adults until this assignment. Play helps us just as much as it does children, it helps us to relieve stress and also to stay physically healthy so that we can keep up with the little ones. Great job on your post, I look forward to your next one!
ReplyDeleteThanks Leah, yes we as adults also need time to play also ;) here are some helpful ideas: While play is crucial for a child’s development, it is also beneficial for people of all ages. Play can add joy to life, relieve stress, supercharge learning, and connect you to others and the world around you. Play can also make work more productive and pleasurable.
DeletePlay can:
Relieve stress. Play is fun and can trigger the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
Improve brain function. Playing chess, completing puzzles, or pursuing other fun activities that challenge the brain can help prevent memory problems and improve brain function. The social interaction of playing with family and friends can also help ward off stress and depression.
Stimulate the mind and boost creativity. Young children often learn best when they are playing—and that principle applies to adults, as well. You’ll learn a new task better when it’s fun and you’re in a relaxed and playful mood. Play can also stimulate your imagination, helping you adapt and problem solve.
Improve relationships and your connection to others. Sharing laughter and fun can foster empathy, compassion, trust, and intimacy with others. Play doesn’t have to be a specific activity; it can also be a state of mind. Developing a playful nature can help you loosen up in stressful situations, break the ice with strangers, make new friends, and form new business relationships.
Keep you feeling young and energetic. In the words of George Bernard Shaw, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” Playing can boost your energy and vitality and even improve your resistance to disease, helping you feel your best
Nicole, I found we share similarities in the things we played with as children- bicycle, skipping, tug of war which are generally rough and tumble play. This hones gross and fine motor skills as well as stimulates brain activity for cognitive development( Brown & Vaughan, 2010).
ReplyDeleteLike you playing outs=doors was so much fun that I considered it a huge punishment whenever I was not allowed to play outdoors. Its amazing how children these days are content with just sitting in front of the computer or television and playing games. However, I think there is still a yearning in children for active play and if given the opportunity they would embrace play. Truly play is the 'birth right' of every child so we must endeavour to provide safe and secure environments for different motives of play. It is the most natural way to hone healthy and holistic development.
As for introducing children to household chores, I made it seem to my children like play and now they tidy up with ease and fun.
Jeshua
Reference
Brown, S., & Vaughan, C. (2010). Play: How it shapes the brain, opens the imagination, and invigorates the soul. New York, NY: Penguin Group
Thanks you Jeshua I agree that somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we’ve stopped playing. When we carve out some leisure time, we're more likely to zone out in front of the TV or computer than engage in fun, rejuvenating play like we did as children. But just because we’re adults, that doesn't mean we have to take ourselves so seriously and make life all about work. We all need to play.
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ReplyDeleteNicole,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your blog post. Growing up, I spent most of my summer's outside like you mentioned in your post. I wonder if we model being outside with children if that would have an effect on if they went outside today or not. I try not be on my phone when I am around my children because I want them to learn that there are other things besides electronics. It is so interesting to see the evolution of play throughout the years. - Ruthanne
I really like that quote " Play is our brain's favorite way of learning. I believe that when orchestrated correctly it is definitely true that we all learn best through play. As an adult when I learn something new it is easier to retain the information at hand if it is presented in a fun/playful manner.
ReplyDeleteI would imagine that having a big family provided for several opportunities of learning through play.