"MY CONNECTIONS TO PLAY"

"Children have always learned and created places for themselves through play."

Donna R Barnes

"Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game."

Michael Jordan

"Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning"

Fred Rogers

We basically played all day long when I was a child; hot, cold, and even rain. I remember going out early in the morning, during the summer, and the only rules were that we had to let someone know if we were leaving from the house, and we had to be back before the street lights came on. My mom use to let use use old pots, pans and spoons to cook with while we played house behind the bushes.  She always made sure we had skates, and we use to be able to go a few streets over to the newly paved street and skate. We use to play on dirt piles and in mud puddles, and it was ok, as long as we didn't track it into the house.  I remember the street flooding during heavy rains at our apartment complex, and it would be like a giant swimming pool after the rain stopped. The entire complex would be outside playing in the water and waiting on someone to try and drive through and get stuck.

Play today is different because children don't get outside as much, and if they do they complain about it being too hot or too cold, or they say it's nothing to do outside.  They are content with staying inside with the computers, video games, and ipods.  Parents don't encourage physical activities unless it's something like team sports such as football, basketball, baseball, etc. and then, it's only because they want to raise a ball player.

It concerns me how play, or the lack of, has changed over the years.  I have wonderful memories of my childhood and the opportunities I had to use my imagination and be creative.  I enjoy talking with my sisters & brother, and old friends about all the crazy and fun things we use to do as children.  I worry that my children won't have the same type  of memories to share when they are older.  Even as adults we need to take time to play and have fun.  I have coloring books and crayons that I use now, because it was one of my favorite things to do as a child, and it helps me to relieve stress.  I guess that's also why I love teaching preschool. It keeps me young by allowing me to lay on the floor and color, sing kids songs, read my favorite children's books, play house, etc.

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw

“Play keeps us vital and alive. It gives us an enthusiasm for life that is irreplaceable. Without it, life just doesn’t taste good” Lucia Capocchione

"We all need empty hours in our lives or we will have no time to create a dream."
Robert Coles