My Connections to Play

  I noticed that my quotes about play mostly revolve around outside.

The things that I spent hours playing with as a child...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  When I think about how my play was supported by the adults in my life, I realize that it was mostly by giving us the freedom to play.  When we got up in the morning, we were given breakfast and then sent outside.  We were not expected to be in the house unless it was time for a meal or dark outside.  No one ever asked where we were or what we were doing.  We didn't have lessons to go to or practices scheduled.  We were not in any organized sports as small children.  When I was a child, organized sports didn't even exist until you entered junior high.  Our parents purchased us few toys (very few) and they gave us the freedom to play and explore.  They never stood over us to make sure that we played in any certain way.  They didn't plan activities for us.  Our play was exploring the world without any rules as to how to do our exploring.  Play is so different today.  Granted, play is much safer than when I was a child, but it is so rigid and planned out.  Children are told what to do, when to do it, and how to do it.  It seems as if adults are so caught up in planning everything out for children.  They enter them in to every club and every sport and it becomes very important to the adult that the child is the best at everything.  Children are no longer given any time without adult supervision.  Children are never given the opportunity to explore without rules and supervision.  Everything today is so planned out for children.  Like I said.... much safer, but at what other costs?