"My Connections to Play."

"My Connections to Play."
1. Quotes:
"You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation."

~ Plato (Greek Philosopher)

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

~ Joseph Chilton Pearce


2. Pictures of toys for myself:





      When I was younger, my play was supported simply by my parents telling me and my siblings to go outside and play. I lived in a small town surrounded by fields, forests, and lakes. It was there, where I grew up, that before the age of nine I had been a princess, a doctor, a teacher, a police officer, a professional ball player, an architect etc. Of course, my professions were not earned, but rather acquired through my imagination and "interests of the day." The role of play in my life supported my interests and creativity and allowed me to be engaged in my activities. 
      Play today seems less meaningful to children than it was when I was a child. As a child, my play did not involve too many devices with screens. My play involved using my imagination and creativity along with learning to collaborate well with my peers in order to meet many of my goals in playing. Therefore, my hope for children today is to have more opportunities to be engaged in activities that are child-directed and provided materials that encourage activities that are meaningful and promote learning. 
    I think the role of play should positively impact children so that it is evident in their years as adults. Play supports children's learning about their environment. And, within an environment, children learn how to make sense of their world and how to solve problems more effectively. Additionally, children also are more likely to learn how to be effective communicators with others and gain better perceptions of others as well. Overall, play fosters the type of learning and skills children will need to support their success as adults.