Growing up all I did was play, play, and play some more. I remember my parents would have to make me come inside. I wanted to stay outside and play with my friends in the neighborhood all night long. It seems like when I was growing up that is all we knew to do. I hardly ever watched T.V. We were forced to use our imaginations (what children do not have to do anymore). I had the freedom to do whatever as long as I was playing! My parents loved the fact they my sister and I played outside. They encourage us to go outside and play.
Play today seems to be much different. It seems like children can not go outside and play until dark, because fear that someone may take your child. Kids want to watch T.V or play video games, that is their idea of play. It takes the freedom to explore and create games of their own.
My vision of play for my children, I want them to really enjoy playing and be able to express themselves. I want play to be fun for them. I don’t want my children to sit on the couch all day and play video games. I want them to have an imagination and create their own games.
Play has always been important in my life and I hope it will always continue to be. Play needs to be for children and adults!
“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” Plato
“Almost all creativity involves purposeful play.” ~ Abraham Maslow (psychologist)
I love the pictures you placed. And I also fear for my children's safety lol my oldest son is 20 and i still hate when he leave's the house. I also can remember as a child staying out till past dark playing tag and just running around with friends sad the world is changing in the wrong direction
ReplyDeletePlaying is what keeps us feeling and looking young. I love that I get to now teach a new generation all of the fun games I used to enjoy as a child. My son and I still play...and he's 17! Great photos here!
ReplyDeleteYes children's safety is very important. But they also need to explore life and enjoy having fun. I love your pictures especially the one with the water, I was water baby!!!!
ReplyDeleteI love your sprinkler/fountain picture. It takes me back to a family vacation to Seattle where my boys spent hours in the large fountain at the park. They had such a great time and as parents it was so much fun to watch them and the joy that just poured out of them. While I can go back a be a kid again- my boys are helping me to see the importance of play and the joy that it can bring to me as an adult.
ReplyDeleteKaren, I like how you mentioned that all you ever did was play and how you never wanted to come inside. As I think back to my neighborhood, I remember how it was safe for us to stay outside at a certain age without parental supervision. My mom was often inside while my dad may have been gone or inside as well. We played with other children in the neighborhood and we never worried about anything bad happening. Today, I'd be one to say that it's not safe for children to play outside without adult supervision. I wonder if parents schedule time in to be outside with their children. After reading the article "The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds" I think that it's important for parents to make a schedule and make time for their children to "play."
ReplyDelete