Quotes
that summarize play in my childhood...
Essential play items...
In my childhood it was all about play and especially play in nature. We were rarely inside and were encouraged to spend as much time outside playing and exploring as possible. In "my day" our parents told us not to come home until the street lights came on. Outdoor and indoor play was regarded as critical to childhood in my family- in fact, in the whole neighborhood. I spent a lot of my time riding my bike and running around our street. However, my grandparents owned a summer home on a tiny beach and I spent countless hours digging, swimming, and just playing in the sand.This is where I formed many of my happiest childhood memories.
Play has changed a lot since I was young. Gone are the days of sending your child out into the neighborhood and telling them to come home once it starts getting dark. I think most parents are too scared to send their child out on their own like it used to be. I recently heard someone report that there is no more "stranger danger" now than when I was a child but I'm not sure that's true. Even if it is true, our streets don't feel as safe as they used to. In many neighborhoods people don't even know each other unlike the days of making sure you behaved because everyone on the street knew your mom.
Another major difference is that children do not have connections with nature like we did when I was growing up. Children often have limited or no outdoor play time during the school day and parents are frequently lax in ensuring children spend time in nature every day. This is my one hope for young children. I hope they will be reintroduced to nature and have a chance to spend quality time in it.
My thoughts on the role of play throughout life...
Hi Wendy,
ReplyDeleteThank you, for sharing a wonderful blog. I agree with you that children need the freedom to play and explore and to have fun. Also, I like the pictures of the old people playing my mom used to play with us in the beach.
I agree that children play is different today. Your blog made me feel a little nostalgia for the old days when you said you all had to play until the streetlight came on and were gone until dark. I did not always play that long and I did not have a good childhood after the age of ten. Nevertheless, your blog brings a nostalgia feeling. I agree with your photo we grow old because we stop playing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic blog entry! I am so jealous your grandparents live on a beach. Mine would have loved that. My grandparents had the perfect sidewalk for chalk art and a baby swing for my sisters. I spent countless hours on the rocking swing in the grass reading. The area was cooled by the over grown trees and it was paradise. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWendy
ReplyDeleteYour blog is always so inspiring. I so agree children need to physically get up and experience nature through play outside more. Those are my most memorable play times spent outdoors running and playing in the dirt. Thank you for sharing your childhood experiences.
Thanks for sharing Wendy,
ReplyDeleteI was like you growing up. I had the freedom to be out and about in my neighborhood where everyone knew everyone and it felt like an extension of a large community family. Back in time when it took a village to raise a child. Those were the fun days full of great play. Once it hit dusk we would all go home. I agree also that today because of many different reasons it is no longer safe for our children to roam free in the neighborhood.
Yolanda Arellano
Hello Wendy
ReplyDeleteIt was fun times coming up, back than it was fun to all and the environment was trouble but as a child who cared. My father would let us go out after chores and his famous words was 'you leave as a group you come back as a group' we didn't have much but we had everything we needed to be create with, are imagination was the main tool for expressiveness. Last week my grandson was upset because he was under the impression that his daughter school was taking his money while she played all day after talking with me he now understands the role of learning while playing. Thank You again for sharing...
Wendy,
ReplyDeleteHow lucky for you to have a summer getaway that helped you create so many happy memories! My family would take trips in the summer, somewhere new every year, and every ten years or so, a month long cross-country trip. My siblings were the children told not to come home until dark, but I grew up mostly alone, so I played in my backyard or in our basement independently. It took me much longer to gain social and emotional skills as I went to a small private school, and I had limited interaction with other children in an unstructured setting. I played soccer when I was younger, but that is not the creative, imaginative play necessary for domain development. I agree with you that children need to go outdoors more often! Unfortunately, you are right - the streets no longer feel safe, even in the light of day. It is a scary world out there, and it feels difficult to protect our little ones from it. I hope that someday the people in power will recognize the importance of play and make it a vital part of the curriculum again, but that is not the way the world is heading. Hopefully we can raise our own voices to let the needs of our children be heard!
~Mary Grace
Hello Wendy,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing. I like your pictures and your quote about play.
Serena
I loved your post we had many of the same thoughts on play. It is just not the same as it used to be. I love how you find tuned your post and made it very intriguing to view!
ReplyDeleteI am so sitting tight for another blog this way.
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