Childhood Connections to Play “Play is recreation, amusement, or fun. Even more says Jeanne Bassis, founder of PlayReflections® (www.PlayReflections.com) who offers “playshops” for adults, “Play is not just about doing, it’s about being. Play is a state of grace, innocence, wonder and creativity... and happens when anyone is truly living in the present tense.” (http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=591) “Play is often described as a time when we feel most alive, yet we often take it for granted and may completely forget about it. But play isn't a luxury - it's a necessity. Play is as important to our physical and mental health as getting enough sleep, eating well, and exercising. Play teaches us how to manage and transform our "negative" emotions and experiences. It supercharges learning, helps us relieve stress, and connects us to others and the world around us. Play can also make work more productive and pleasurable.” (http://www.helpguide.org/life/creative_play_fun_games.htm) The last quote that I took from the helpguide.org is very helpful to those what are wondering what is play about and how to be more like a kid themselves. I was once told that having fun keeps the spirit young and alive. We often wish that we were young again so we can relive some of our childhood experiences; and maybe even change them. But the fact remains is that children have to play to exert their creativity and expand their minds. I ask the question, have you really had fun with your kids today? I mean really get down and dirty with them in the mud or just running around the house with water-guns? Maybe even getting involved with them building a club house? You don’t really know what your child is thinking until you get down on their level and let them show you how to have fun in their world. When I was working in daycare, I often took the kids on an imaginary tour and let them be the hosts of what to do. For example, I would tell all the kids to sit in a circle and put their thumbs up and who ever I put the thumb down to would be the one to take us on the tour. It was a spinoff of the game “thumbs up” able to play until we got tire and wanted to come inside. It is sad that the play that we see today comes from an electronic device geared to distract the mind instead of facilitating growth. There are too many distractions that children come up against because we adults want to control everything instead of just being happy and free spirited. We don’t act out of love anymore, we act out of fear and self-ridicule. We force our childhood expectations on our children instead of them making up in their minds what they want to do. As long as they have a realistic picture of the outcome of their actions, then they will be fine in my opinion. I can’t use myself for an example because my time of a child is over, as much as I would love to be playful and have fun all day; society doesn’t allow fun any longer without strict rules and sanctions. When I was a child, we played kickball, now kids have to take tests all day. When I was a kid, I had friends, now kids have conversations about who is having sex at the age of 8. This is only because of what we are allowing them to see and hear. We ‘real’ parents that want the best for our kids let them play how they want to play as long as it is constructive and productive. We just don’t let our kids run wild and crazy! I teach my kids to love who they are no matter if they will have friends or acquaintances. According to NIU Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management/ Campus Child Care; “From birth to adolescence, constructive play is vital to most aspects of children's intellectual, emotional, social, and physical development. Consequently, play prepares children for academic learning - as they begin their school years and at each step along the way. Ultimately, play prepares children for rewarding adult lives. Many experts believe that adult personality may very well have its foundation in the play of the child. "Through constructive play, children expand their intelligence - their knowledge and understanding of the world around them. Play is a testing ground for language and reasoning skills - a laboratory for learning to connect to challenges children face in school, such as literacy, math, and science concepts. Constructive play stimulates the imagination - encouraging creative problem solving and providing opportunities for accomplishments that help children develop confidence, self-esteem, a sense of their own strengths and weaknesses, and a positive attitude toward learning.” http://www.niu.edu/ccc/curriculum/play_learning.shtml There were some differences between the kind of play that we are talking about and the childhood play that should be administered in child educational centers. The differences in most instances when it comes to play and learning; the adults were not involved in the discoveries that were being uncovered amongst children verses the supervision that comes with a childhood educational center. Under supervision children have limitations to what children are allowed to see and converse among themselves because of censorship and so forth. When they are on their own, they mimic what the adults are most likely to demonstrate when in a social setting. For example, in a social setting, the parents are the ones that are facilitating cognitive stimulation, and when the children are in an educational setting, it is geared to coach the children to think for them-selves and problem-solve at the same time while at play. The point I am trying to make is that children play because it is their release to the stress of their everyday lives. They play to love, laugh, and to live. They play because they have the right to be free spirited and be who they want to be without corruption…