Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning. Fred Rogers
Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a neccesity. Kay Redfield Jamison
Children's Play Magazine. (n.d). Quotes about play and learning. Retrieved from:http://www.childsplaymagazine.com/Quotes/index.htm
As a child, I viewed play as a way to create, imagine and pretend. I remember making pies out of mud and eating them. I know I got awfully dirty, but I don't remember my mom being angry or restricting my play. I chose a picture of mud for that reason because it is open ended. I had choices, I felt free to use the materials and equipment in and outside like I desired. I also remember planting watermelon seeds along our house without the direct instruction from an adult, I watered them and watched the seed bud and grow a small sized watermelon. Then, when it died I tried to rationalize why that he did not grow to its greatest potential. I felt like a little scientist.That is how children should feel as they play. But, nowadays, children are so teacher directed that they are not given the opportunity to create, explore, and discover. In addition, as a child I would play for hours. These children are not given ample time to play, run, jump, in unrestrictive environments like outdoors. They need that exercise for their developing bodies. That is why I included a picture of a slide. Another picture that I thought was representative of play is water because children love water. There are endless learning opportunities regarding water and its properties and how other objects and water interact.
Now as an adult, I play with my children and enjoy it. It still makes me feel free. Some of my favorite play activities as an adult is swinging on the swings and coloring or drawing.
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