Quotes
Essential Play Items
My fondest memories of play are when I was at my grandparents' house. My grandfather made me a swing to hang from a big tree in their backyard. I remember pretending to be a circus acrobat on that swing, climbing the ropes, standing on the swing, and performing for my imaginary audience. I also enjoyed "cooking" and "baking" in the backyard. I filled numerous bowls with mud, water, and flowers, creating so many culinary delights for my imaginary restaurant customers. If I was feeling particularly feisty, my grandmother's broom would be turned into a "ninja stick." She would often look out the window to see me swinging the broom around and karate kicking the air.
As a child, I really enjoyed playing by myself and using my imagination. I spent hours entertaining myself and coming up with creative uses for various items around the house. My grandparents always encouraged me to try new experiments or to take on new imaginary roles. This led me to participate in theater productions from elementary school through college.
I am much less active today, but I find myself still taking on imaginary roles. If I'm cooking dinner for my daughter, I become an international chef, affecting different accents and announcing each step I take to "boil zee spaghetti and toast zee garlic bread." If we're cleaning, I'll turn the music on, and suddenly I'm a world famous ballerina, twirling with my partner, Mr. Broom. I still love turning mundane tasks and inanimate objects into something more entertaining.
Children today are often preoccupied with TV or video games, but I've found that my daughter still loves to use her imagination and play outside. She and her friends will jump on the trampoline and pretend they are famous gymnasts. They wedge plastic drink bottles over their bike tires to make them sound like dirt bikes, then race each other down the street. They are still learning and creating, and I think that's really special. Play is entertaining and educational, and it helps us relate to the world around us. I'm glad that I still enjoy playing as an adult and I hope my daughter grows up to feel the same way.
Jamie, I enjoyed cooking too as a child. Sand, grass, sticks and even small containers were all I needed...haha! It feels quite liberating when we let go of all the seriousness that comes with being an adult. The other day I was hopscotching at the park with my children and I hand so much fun because it brought back so much childhood memories. I believe that If we take time to connect with the child in us, it would help simplify our lives.
ReplyDeleteJamie, I enjoyed playing cooking as a child. I remember creating food out of playdoh and my friends and I pretending to eat it. I also remember having a swing set that my friends and I would swing on. We would compete to see who could swing the highest. Without these toys we probably would not have had a strong friendship bond because toys attract children first and afterwards relationships form.
ReplyDeleteJamie, I love the quote that we don't stop playing because we grow old we grow old because we stop playing. Play is good for creativity and healthy brain growth.
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