My Connections to Play

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Play provides the ultimate curriculum for social, physical, and cognitive advancement

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(Wardle, F. n.d.).

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Play allows children to create and explore a world they can master, conquering their fears while practicing adult roles, sometimes in conjunction with other children or adult caregivers

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(.Ginsberg, K. 2007). When we engage in play, we are letting loose, and using our deepest imagination to manipulate our world. Here are a few images that I used to utilize on a family outing to the Beach:

These images represent the items I had many opportunities to utilize when we traveled to the Beach. I could spend hours and hours with just these three items. However, the water, sand, sand creatures, people, and bird life created even more endless opportunities to take advantage of. All I needed to enjoy my time at the Beach was my imagination and the natural environment around me. The cool breeze offered new and unique smells, while the water created beautiful waves, and an abundance of water to use to make sand castles, and swim in. The Beach was my playground as a child, and today as an adult. I now have the opportunity to take my children there and watch them do what I did when I played at the beach. My grandfather opened up many opportunities for me and my brother to engage in play. We took many trips to the park, beach, we traveled to Mexico, Texas, and Lakes, and Rivers. We had opportunities to play outside in the front and back yard as well. We had so much freedom as children. I remember taking my bicycle and riding around the neighborhood with my brother. We even used to travel for miles and explore different tree species, plants, and meet neighborhood children. We had no rules when we played, except basic life skills such as no fighting, stealing, staying out late, and especially not talking to strangers. These were not play based rules; they were just instilled upon us since birth. My grandfather gave us insights as to different names of plants, we planted our own garden, and we ate fruit and vegetables out of trees and gardens. He taught us how to enjoy ourselves outdoors by allowing us the time to explore and use our imagination. As I reminisce my past, I notice that I do not see play like I used to when I was a child. I barely even see children outside. Once in a while, I see children chasing each other in a neighbor’s yard, or a neighbor child playing a hand held gaming system. I feel that parents don’t have time to allow them to go outdoors, and the issue of safety due to a corrupt society. In my city, there have been ten shootings in one month. I understand the fear for children to be allowed outside. In my childhood, I had many life lessons as I had the opportunity to play outdoors. I had my share of bumps and bruises, which gave me the experience of trying to be careful not to fall, or how to take care of scrapes and cuts, I learned how to ride a bike, I can climb trees, I can grow a garden, I can cook, I know my weather patterns, I know smells of dirt, mud, sand, asphalt, rocks, worms, bugs, and various other animals and insects. Our young may not get the opportunity to enjoy the same freedom as we did, but I do hope that there are ways for them to learn and experience nature, science, discovery, and the ability to use their imagination as I did. The role of play is essential to learning life skills, the use of a creative mind, and opportunities to engage in a peace of mind and wonder. The role of play has created fulfillment in my life because of the many experiences that have taught me the things that I know today. Without it, I often wonder if I would have learned the skills that I know now. I know my Grandfather has contributed to these skills as well. But it was his allowance that let us venture out and explore that gave me the many benefits of motor development, physical, emotional, cognitive, and social experiences.

References Ginsberg, K. (2007). The importance of play in promoting healthy development and maintaining strong parent-child bonds. Pediatrics, 119(1), 182-191. Retrieved from (http://www.aap.org/pressroom/playfinal.pdf). Wardle, F. (n.d.). Play as curriculum. Retrieved August 1, 2010, from (http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=12 7).