A quote on play from Ralph Waldo Emerson, "It is a happy talent to know how to play."
Play is an activity that has changed over time according to George Rollie Adams, historian, former teacher and led the development of the National Museum of Play. American Journal of Play interviewed Mr. Adams. Mr. Adams shared that in the past, play was more open and free. Rules were developed to meet the situation. Play objects were the stuff you found and turned into something new. In Mr. Adams case, a delivery crate into a truck. Mr. Adams shared, "We had no idea at the time that we were learning to negotiate and to adjust our system to the environment in which we were operating. Turns out those are invaluable management skills." His statement shows the value of play and how play led him to developing a museum.
In my introduction post, I shared how I played a teacher in a school play and then became a teacher. My father in law shared with me how his play experiences led him into a career with the US Army. As a child, he enjoyed playing war games with his brothers and neighbors. He was intrigued by the strategy he had to form to evade his friends and that set the foundation for his career. What play activities did you indulge in as a child? Did they lead you to your career?
Alliance for Childhood is a research and advocacy group that "promotes policies and practices that support children's healthy development, love of learning, and joy in living." Their website has videos that promote play. One video is Prescription for Play and is narrated by Dr. Ken Ginsburg, pediatrician at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Dr. Marilyn Benoit, Chief Clinical Officer at Devereux Behavioral Health. The two individuals share how play is the work of childhood. Dr. Ginsburg shares that success is related to happiness and creativity and that play is a big part. Follow the attached link to view Prescription for Play.
http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/prescriptionforplay
What is your prescription for play? Play has changed over time, do we need to prescribe more opened play?
Thank you for sharing your views.
Sharon Lloyd
Here are the references for the above post.
ReplyDeleteThe why, how and what of a Museum of Play: an interview with George Rollie Adams. (2013). American Journal of Play,5(2). Retrieved from http://www.journalofplay.org
Sharon,
ReplyDeleteYes! We definitely need to prescribe more open play. As I was watching the video I could think of some of the children in my school and how their life has been effected by the lack of play.
A friend of mine has two children, one is 12 and the other is 14 years of age. They have missed out on that open play because she always thought she was doing the right thing by keeping them busy in organized sports, summer camp which is highly organized, and other programs put on by their school. These children make outstanding grades, but that expectation has been put on them since an early age. Just the other day she stated that she told them to go outside and play. She said that when she went to check on them she found them standing in the back yard talking. When she told them to go and play, they told her they did not know what to play. They are constantly in school or some organized activity and when they have free time they do not know what to do. They are shining examples of what is discussed in the video as far as the effects of less play. I wonder if this can be changed at this age in their lives? Play is so vital to the overall development of they child. I think so many parents and educators have yet to grasp that concept.
Darla,
DeleteThat is an interesting question. I think teens you talked about can learn to play but will have to be shown how. I was amazed when a group of young adults, mostly engineers, were at my house for my son's wedding reception and they all ended up tractor swinging, the bride's idea. Tractor swinging is simply being raised up in a tractor bucket while sitting on a rope swing. The tractor backs up until you are pulled off. They were hesitant at first but once the bride did it in her wedding gown the others felt they should try. It was fun watching the laughter as these young adults had fun.
Sharon,
DeleteI think you might be correct on that. Isn't it interesting how sometimes we need to be shown how to play? But at the same time, it is wonderful that even as adults we can still play.
Darla
Darla,
DeleteI agree, it is wonderful that even as adults we can play. Play provides the opportunity to rejuvenate and energize for a fresh outlook on life.
Sharon
When I was a child, I played school all the time. My little sister would always be my student. I can remember playing daily, but I don't remember this experience ever leading me to my career path. I always knew I wanted to work with kids, but my dreams were initially to become a child psychologist. However, after a speaking class during my senior year where we had to go into a classroom and read a book to a classroom, I was told that teaching was meant for me and that I was a natural. I don't know if I would have ever considered teaching as a career if my high school speech teacher had not encouraged me to go that route.
ReplyDeleteI also remember being outside all the time; we weren't sitting in front of a TV all day, watching shows and playing video games like kids do today. An article that I read on play emphasized the fact that parents are even considering video games and TV viewing as "play" time. I think as professionals in the EC field, that we have our job cut out for us. We really need to emphasize the benefits that children can derive from actually going outside and playing, or participating in sociodramatic play activities. I definitely think that play needs to be added to the EC curriculums to ensure it is a part of our children's daily life activities.
Thank you for your comments Dixie. I do agree with you that we need to share with parents, teachers and community members the value of play. There are so many benefits to going outside and playing with friends. I guess that is an article for the next school newsletter.
DeleteSharon Lloyd
Sharon,
ReplyDeleteI agree as well, more open play would definitely be more beneficial. At my observation yesterday the teachers emphasized that children are able to demonstrate more of their personalities and the teachers can find out more about them as a child during unstructured/open play. On the other hand, they stated how structured play relates more to what kids knowabout specific topics. Another teacher stated that kids are able to form stronger problem solving skills when they have to figure out things on their own versus with the teacher instructing.
Melissa,
DeleteAs I read more about play, I am learning that there are multiple types of play, one of the reason it is hard to research. Children need time in unstructured play as well as guidance through structure play. Each has a time and purpose.
Sharon Lloyd
Sharon I see you started your post with a quote, I love quotes and one I use often and have posted in my classroom is this one, “Play is the highest expression of human development in childhood for it alone is the free expression of what is in a child's soul.” -Friedrich Froebel the founding father of Kindergarten. Sharon I would like to address the last question you posed in your post. “Do we need to prescribe more opened play?” My answer to that question is yes, yes, yes! The one thing we are losing more and more of is play time in the classroom. In my school we only have center time two days a week for forty minutes and some weeks only one day. Recess time is being cut also we still have it each day, but it proposed that for next school year it will be cut by fifteen minutes each day! It seems that many higher-education officials have lost touch with what is really important for young children’s development. It saddens me to see less center time and more non-age appropriate 8-page benchmark math and reading tests. I know we are now in the world of accountability and measurement, but when stepping into that world we lost creativity, open play, and, free expression. I thoroughly enjoy having recess duty and watching children make up their own games or just the other day I watched a group of children find a caterpillar and they spent all recess time building a home for him out of leaves and sticks. I saw learning happening and was so happy to be watching it. As teachers we are in the “trenches” and see the importance of play and the importance of kids being kids. We have to work together to be able to show and support our efforts to higher-level officials who are making decisions about our classrooms and our kids!
ReplyDeleteJust watching children each day and listening to them ask, “When is play time?” “Are we having centers today?” “Can we free draw?” “When is our next field trip?” These are all age appropriate questions for young children they don’t want to know when the next math benchmark test is or when we are starting the next reading unit. They want to know when they are going to get to interact with each other and be kids. I love what the two doctors from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia said, “Play is a child’s work.” That statement could not be truer. My beliefs on this issue of play being pushed out of the classroom come based solely on experience of watching children and seeing what they grow the most from developmentally. Recess and center time build communication skills, problem-solving skills, manners, conflict resolution skills, patience, and direction following skills. These are all life skills that need to be learned early on.
This post helped to expand my thinking on this issue of play being a thing of the past. It helped to expand my thinking by reminding me that success is achieved by happiness and creativity and that young learners need those two things to develop properly. It also helped my thinking by pointing out that many children pretend play what they want to be when they grow up and actually achieve that goal. I myself am an example of that I played art teacher when I was growing up all the time. I loved to paint, draw, make projects, and be creative. I became a kindergarten teacher instead of an art teacher, but there are many similarities in the two jobs. Some of my most favorite times in kindergarten are when we are painting or creating a project together.
Some students don’t even know how to “play” because they are not given the opportunity to have open play anymore at school or at home. My question is how do we show them how to play? How do we make time to give them the opportunities they need to play and learn together?
Sarah O’Neal
Hi Sarah,
DeleteThank you for your wonderful post. Your statements are so true and can be observed in my classroom and at my school. I believe we show children how to play by playing with them. Adults can get the pretend play of cooking dinner started with the children by asking them who wants to be the mom? Are you the brother or sister? What's for dinner? as the children start to play the adult slowly backs out of the picture.
I believe we make time for play by incorporating different kinds of play. You mentioned painting that is referred to as art play by Trawick-Smith, 2010. Just this week the kindergarten students participated in a combination of art play and construction play as they used clay and other materials to make a model of an insect. The conversation and thinking taking part was priceless. I wished a video camera was running to depict how involved and creative my students were in the insect.
Reference:
Trawick-Smith. (2010). Drawing back the lens on play: A frame analysis of young children's play in Puerto Rico. Early Education and Development 21(4).
Hi Sharon the video reminded me of the days when I was younger and playing. It was a punishment to stay in the house while your friends were outside playing. We have lost what is important to children and their development to be outside playing. The AH moment for me was the parent telling the Doctor her three year old could not count to 100 like the other children. I have parents like this in my classroom, that compare their child with other children. I have to remind them that their child is unique and different, they learn at their own time and rate. I am one of those teachers that loves the Why Not approach. When my class talked about bugs and worms, I had a teacher who friend work at a pet store to bring us worms to add to the potted plants in the classroom. The parents came into the class and had a face of that is so nasty. I am not a big fan of worms but I put them in my hand to let the children know it is ok to hold the worms and let them crawl in your hand. I remind the parents they are learning and bringing nature into the classroom. I will have to share this video with my co-workers and parents.
ReplyDeleteTalethia,
DeleteGood for you. I bet the students had a blast with the worms. They were probably apprehensive at first but your willingness set them free to explore and enjoy.
Thank you for sharing.
Sharon Lloyd