My Connections to Play

"My Connections to Play"

“It is in playing, and only in playing, that the individual child or adult is able to be creative and to use the whole personality, and it is only in being creative that the individual discovers the self.” ~ D.W. Winnicott (British pediatrician)

“A child loves his play, not because it’s easy, but because it’s hard.” ~ Benjamin Spock (pediatrician, author)

“It’s not so much what children learn through play, but what they won’t learn if we don’t give them the chance to play. Many functional skills like literacy and  arithmetic can be learned either through play or through instruction – the issue is the amount of stress on the child. However, many coping skills like compassion, self-regulation, self-confidence, the habit of active engagement, and the motivation to learn and be literate cannot be instructed. They can only be learned through self-directed experience (i.e. play). ~ Susan J. Oliver (author, Playing for Keeps)

Growing up as a child, I had many people in my life who supported us to play. My Aunt Angel who lived in Los Angeles, would come to San Jose to pick us up for the summer. When we were at her house she always taught us new games everytime we came. I remember one year she taught us how to double dutch. We even made our own ropes. We went to the store and bought rope and we braided them together. We would play jump rope all day long. She would teach us songs that went along with it.

I remember my neighbor invited all the children in our apartments to play softball. I remember being 5 and not being able to hit a ball let alone catch one. She would bring us home and she would take me aside and practice with me. She would tell me not to worry about hitting or catching the ball. She told me she wanted me to have fun. I started to relax and not focus so much on hitting and catching. I’m so glad she said that me me, those words pushed me to become one of the best softball players in my league.

I think play is completely different from when I was a child. Now kids believe playing video games, texting and playing games on their phones.  I remember my mom would tell me if I come in the house I was the house for the rest of the day. I didn’t want to stay indoors, that was the worst thing ever.  Today children don’t want to go outside, they want to stay indoors and watch TV and talk on their cell phone.  I work with 2^nd graders at my church and I love them dearly. They think I’m crazy with some of the games I have them play. I would play games that have them running, jumping and acting silly. At first they didn’t want to do it and now they can’t wait to see what game they will be playing next week  My hope for young children with regards to play is to have fun, exercise and to just be a kid with no worries.

I remember adults teaching me to play hop scotch, double dutch, tag, jacks and dodge ball. Most of the games I played required me to be active. Growing up I always played something. I always wanted to learn new games and continue to play the games I already knew.  I became very active and was involved in sports throughout my childhood and adulthood. I taught my children many games and they still play these games now. I would listen to my children playing with my great-nephew in the bedroom. They were singing the counting song I taught them when they were toddlers. I was surprised they still knew those songs. It amazes me that we teach our children how to play. If we allow them to play video games and watch TV as toddlers, we can’t get mad if they are not active and don’t want to play when they are older. My suggestion is to get ALL children outside and



PLAY! PLAY! PLAY!!