Childhood Connection to Play

Childhood Connection to Play

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”

  George Bernard Shaw

“Play is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold.”

 Joseph Chilton Pearce

Most of my favorite childhood activities involved being outdoors.   After helping my grandmother hang the laundry, I was the best cloths pin hander every born, I would sit and play under the sheets as they dried on the line.

My cousins and I would prepare the most beautiful mud pies and grass and flower infused side items to serve on our play dishes that had survived from Christmas morning until those long summer days in the backyard.

One of my favorite childhood “toys” was the bath towel.  The towel that could instantly become a cape.   I was often a super hero jumping from the top of the porch to save the day.  The towel, carefully pinned to the head, was long hair to be swung from side to side as I pretended to be Tina Turner or Cher, “I got you Babe.” A towel could be a surf board or a beach towel placed right next to Frankie Avalon and Annette Funechello.  Yes, I was there at Beach Party Bingo. 

My grandmother was a big supporter of play.  She would fall into character with easy and allowed my imagination to flourish.  Once after a few too many cowboys movies I decided I was running cattle west.  I refused to eat at the table.  Instead I wanted to eat next to the table on the floor.  Which was “just outside of my wagon and next to my horse.”  My grandma let me call her “cook” for the night.  My mother just looked and shook her head.  But, my grandmother played along calling me partner and asking about my travel.  There are far to many of these instances to list when my imagination was allowed to stretch.  I’m sure no one remembers seeing me but I was a part of the crew on the Starship Enterprise.

Play is very different for young children now then when I was growing up.  The focus is on academic learning at home and in childcare.  I learned so much during my pretend play; problem solving, story telling, choice.  I would hope that children would be encouraged to play outside and leave the electronics in the off position.  There is so much to see and do outside.   I read books and my grandmother wanted to know all about the book once I was done.  She was a great storyteller from a long line of story tells and I wanted to recount the storybook with all the flare she would expect.

Play is still a part of my life.  As an adult I still enjoy family board games.  Not to sound like a commercial but games really do bring families together.  My early imagination practice allows me to think pass the “is” and straight to the possibilities.  The limitless possibilities!