My Connections to Play





Here are a few quotes about play that I enjoy:

“Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning.”-Diane Ackerman

“A child loves his play, not because it’s easy, but because it’s hard.”-Benjamin Spock

When reminiscing on my childhood, I thought of a few toys that I played with quite often: Barbie dolls, basketball, and bikes. I had a lot of toys when I was younger, but when it came down to it I loved just being outdoors playing with the neighborhood kids the most.

My siblings, parents, and friends supported play. My parents were the ones to get me my toys, of course. They always strongly encouraged us get outdoors and play outside though. My sister, Ashley, was just a year older than me so we would play together quite often. The neighborhood kids, Ashley, and I would play simple games like Tag or Hide and Go Seek. I also liked riding my bike around the neighborhood. Sometimes my sister would go with me but most of the time I’d go by myself.

I feel that play is a lot different now than it was then, and that’s only been about 20 years ago. In my day of play, I spent a lot of the time outdoors. When I played indoors, it was with dolls, puzzles, or game boards. According to what I hear from my students, a lot of time spent playing is on the computer or some other form of game system.

I believe that play served a purpose of just simply letting go. When children are in their world of play, everything else doesn’t matter. “It allows them to digest life and make it their own” (Almon, 2002). I feel that as children grow older and enter adulthood, the form of play changes. They no longer run around playing Tag, but move on tow “grownup” things.

Resources

Almon, K. (2002). The vital role of play in early childhood education. Gateway, 43. Retrieved from http://www.waldorflibrary.org/Journal_Articles/GW43almon.pdf

Relationship Reflection

Relationships are an important part of my life. Whether it is with my family members, friends, pets, or God, it gives me a feeling of completeness. Being able to discuss matters in life and my thoughts with others keeps me “sane”. As a result, I don't feel lonely. Humans, by nature, show high interest in human faces and even know their mothers’ voice minutes after birth (Edelman, 2004). I have many relationships in my life and want to mention just a few of my closest ones.

The relationship I carry with my mother is strong. Despite all of the mistakes I have made throughout my 26 years of life, she has stuck by my side through it all. She voices her opinion about certain issues, but encourages me to make my own decisions. She has always said that it is best to learn from my own mistakes. I talk to her just about every day and visit with her every week.

My father and I are very close. I, too, talk to him about every day and see him every week. If I go more than a day of not talking to him, I feel like I am clueless as to what is going on in his life. We share a love for sports, particularly basketball, so we bond a lot through that similar interest. He also happens to be a pastor. Being aware of his knowledge of the Bible and his closeness with God, I confide in him quite often.

The last relationship I want to mention is that of one of my closest friends, Amanda. We aren’t related but still remain fond of each other.  We went to high school together and I went to college with her fiancé so we have kept in touch with each other despite going our separate ways in our adult lives.

Through my experiences in relationships I have found that sharing common interests and goals, being caring, making time, and having honesty and consideration with and for each other are the contributing factors to maintaining positive relationships. Without these characteristics, relationships tend to become a challenge. It takes time and effort to keep people in your life. A friend of mine just recently got married and had her first child. She is so busy with the new additions in her life and I’m so busy with my schooling that we scarcely talk to each other. As a result, I’ve felt a space gradually grow between us.

Having these relationships can impact my work as an early childhood professional. Within relationships and partnerships, comes learning. I can take whatever is learned and apply it in the classroom. For example, I have friends who are teachers and we bounce ideas off of each other when planning our curriculum.

Resources

Edelman, L. (2004). A relationship-based approach to early intervention. Resources and Connections, 3(2).