My Connection to Play

"Do not...keep children to their studies by complusion, but by play."
                                                                                     ~Plato

 " Children are never more serious than when they play."
                                                              ~MONTAIGNE, Essays

My mother was a great supporter of my play when I was young. I have two older sisters that were much taller than myself. When we played Hopscotch they would tray the pattern so big I could never make my jumps.  Of course they would always win. The days my mother was home early from work, she would draw the pattern so that I would have a chance to successful on some jumps. When my interest would change , like the time I wanted to be the best marble player. She never told me that it was a boy's game (like my sisters did), she just made me the best looking bag to hold my marbles.

The games we played as children (30 years ago)  can still be played today, like baby dolls, marbles and hopscotch, with much fun and imagination, if children are allowed outside to play them. I understand our society is very different today as it was when I was a child. All the neighborhood children gathered to play and knew automatically to go home when it was getting dark. There was always a mother around for all of us. Unfortunately, safety is a much bigger issue today than it was way-back then. More mothers are working and children have to stay inside with electrronic entertainments, like video games, internet and television.

I believe that when I was young we were allowed to run freely, explore and experiment. My favorite thing was to play school, which has followed me into adulthood. My understanding of the world I lived in prepared me with a solid understanding of the world I lived in for when I wnet to school. I was allowed to pretend, using my imagination. My brain developed my use of imagination, unlike the television thinking and telling me how to feel.