My Connections To Play

Play is our brain's favorite way of learning.

Diane Ackerman

Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.
Kay Redfield Jamison

When I reflect on my own childhood play, most of what I remember is what I did outdoors. It turns out that my memories are not unique; most adults remember their outdoor time with more nostalgia and in more detail than other childhood play events. Childhood today has become so structured that even if a child wanted to play hopscotch or jump rope, finding a playmate nearby could be a serious problem. It is ttrue that, the world might be different now and children need to play their own way. Children may not need to play the same way we did, but they do need to experience more unstructured play time and spend time in nature, because a lack of both is taking its toll on our children.

Childhood play as we know it is disappearing. Children spend significantly less time in unstructured free play than before; Children have too many activities, they are either at karate, ballet, or soccer practice or parents are scared to let them play outside unsupervised with other children.
Play is crucial to the optimal development of children. For instance, in outdoor play such as in natural environments, children develop their reasoning, and observation skills. Their play is more imaginative, supporting language and the ability to collaborate with others.