"Work consists of whatever a body is obligated to do. Play consists of whatever a body is not obligated to do." - Mark Twain
I was raised as an only child so I did not have anyone to play with at home. My barbie dolls were my favorite toys. I felt like they were my friends. I had barbie cars, palaces, and every type of accessory you could think of. When I counted my barbies in my teens, I had collected over 100 barbies. My mother was a huge influence in getting me to play outside. My skip it and jump rope were my favorite things to play with, with my neighborhood friends. Growing up in New York seeing girls play double dutch in the street was very common. My friends and I would enjoy playing outside for hours. My mother was also a huge component in my play with inspiring me to play with my easy bake oven. She loves to cook and allowed me to find the inner cook in me through my easy bake oven.
Play today has some similarities and differences to the way that I came up. children do not go outside as much as they used to. I loved playing outside with my friends. I got a lot of physical activity. Children today my go outside but they do not play as long as they used to. The children at my center are always ready to go inside. They play for a little while and then they are tired and bored. It is so different. But I do see how children have wide imaginations like I did with my barbies. Children today still play with dolls and cars and trucks that allow them to imagine different scenarios. They enjoy using their heads and expanding their imagination.
I love the quote you posted that said "We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing". In my post this week, I talked about how I still enjoy playing. Doing art, building things, dressing up, etc, give me an opportunity to think outside the box and express myself in my own way. I think we need to not only be advocates for children and play but also for adults to relive their childhood and experience things that give them true joy. I believe play can do this on so many levels! Thank you for your post this week. Good job :)
ReplyDeleteHi Monique, I used to play with Barbie dolls too, but my older sister who bought them for me was actually more into them than I was. I think she was trying to relive a part of her childhood through me! I did have fun playing with them though. I really enjoyed skipping rope - I could spend hours doing that either with friends or alone.
ReplyDeleteI like your quote about growing old because we stop playing. I taught high school for 18 years and when I run into my former students they always remark that I look like I am not aging. I tell them that is because I spend so much time with kids, they keep me young! I teach Sunday school and run a group for kids at church so I am always playing and having fun! I also like the quote that says 'take time to play'. I have found myself doing more of this lately. While I play with the kids in my groups, I would often neglect adult play. Recently, I have found a real need to have adult 'play and fun'. It has helped with my stress level and made me a happier person.
Thanks for your post!
Delores