"My Connections to Play."

“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.”
― Plato

“This is the real secret of life -- to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.”
― Alan Wilson Watts

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As a young child, my sister and I would take our dogs out to a nearby trail and one of us would stay with the dogs at the trail head and the other would run through the trails and stop deep in the woods to call for the dogs to find us.  This was one of our favorite games to play.  Not only were we out of the sight of our parents and felt extremely independent, we were free to make up the rules of our play.  There was no one to tell us how and what to do.  We loved having the thrill of the adventure and chase.

When we engage in what we are naturally suited to do, our work takes on the quality of play and it is play that stimulates creativity.
Linda Naiman

The adults in my life supported my play through giving me opportunities to have free time at home.  My mom worked full time and my grandmother was able to be with me throughout the day.  This gave me the opportunity to be creative and play games with my sister and friends that lived close by.  My mother and grandmother also supported me in my play by assisting when we needed her.  She would make paper dolls that we would play with for hours and tell stories that I still remember today.  Having loving adults in my life gave me a secure feeling that allowed me to grow with confidence.

When we treat children's play as seriously as it deserves, we are helping them feel the joy that's to be found in the creative spirit. It's the things we play with and the people who help us play that make a great difference in our lives.
Fred Rogers

In some ways I feel play is similar today because children are still using their imagination and making rules to their own games.  However, today play may look a little different because of how busy families have become.  Many parents work and have children in childcare centers during the day and then have busy schedules at night.  Childcare centers have less freedom to allow children to go out of sight of adults and explore.  I do feel that families today have less time to allow children to become creative.  Play played a large role in my life and my development.  I was able to play teacher and pretend to be a mother.  These role play schemes gave me opportunities to try out roles that came naturally to me.  The adults in my life were supported and gave me the support and love I needed to mature and develop.