Childhood Connections to Play

Childhood Connections to Play

We discovered that education is not something which the teacher does, but that it is a natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being.

Maria Montessori

The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves.

Carl Jung

Play should be a part of every child’s day.

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When I was a young child I had three items that were essential to my everyday play.

My doll was a huge part of my day. I got her the same week Mt St. Helens erupted so I fittingly named her Ashla, after all the ash that was around. She went everywhere with me. I cut her hair once thinking it would grow back (I’m still waiting for that to happen), and gave her make-up with a pen. She was such a wonderful companion.

This bike is almost exactly like my childhood bike. However, my childhood bike was not so shinny and new as it went through my two older brothers before I got it.

         

The third and most important was my “back yard”. Our property line runs along the State Park line. So as a child we hand endless space to play outside. We made forts and explored in the forest and walked to the beach to play and explore there as well. It was a wonderful time playing, using our imaginations and having adventures. Most of our days were spent outside.

Play in general was a huge part of my childhood. The only TV I remember watching was Little House on the Prairie and Mork and Mindy. These shows were normally viewed while my mom put my hair up in sponge curlers. We did have chores as a part of being in a family. Never the less play took up most of my day. We would sometimes leave in the morning come home for a quick lunch and then back home for dinner. In between meals we rode bike, played in the mud, found our way through the State Park forest, found frogs, snakes, and other wildlife, and climbed tress. The list goes on and on. Our parents and other adults would support us by giving us the materials we needed like, buckets, shovels, bikes, other tools and old wood for fort building, and ant outside sports equipment.

I feel play is very different than what I had. Children just don’t seem to have the freedom to explore, take chances, and be away from adults ever watching eyes. Children are forced to problem solve, make quick decisions, and protect themselves and others when they are playing on their own. I also think children and families are to “plugged in” and don’t seem to spend the time outside as I did growing up. Play is important for a person’s mental health. I feel that without play people have a tendency toward stress, depression, and other medical problems. Although play looks differently as every stage of life it is still very important. So I say, “Let the play begin”.