My Connections to Play

     "It’s a happy talent to know how to play."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Life must be lived as play"

Plato

Play is everything that I remember about my childhood.  I remember jumping in the leaves, sliding down mountains of snow, and jumping rope.  I remember playing make-believe in my basement and becoming a Princess, a dancer, and a clown.  I remember playing Monopoly with my family around the dinner table.  I remember reading books with my parents ever night, sometimes the same story over and over.  My parents, my family, and my friends were a part of my childhood; they played with me. 

Barbie Dream House

I remember playing with Barbie and Ken dolls in their own Barbie Dream House.  I had a Barbie that was my size, and together, we made up stories about Barbie and Ken.  My mom would often write these stories in a special book; I played being an author.  My parents validated my play by giving my stories value.  I wish, with all of my heart, that I had that book today. 

When I wasn’t playing Barbie, I was making up stories about Mickey Mouse.  My favorite toy was a Mickey Mouse doll that I took everywhere with me (it would be worth a fortune today!).  Mickey, for me, was what a teddy bear is for children; he was my teddy.  I would make up stories about Mickey’s friends, too, and that’s probably why Disney World was such a huge part of my son’s childhood.  Today, my den is surrounded by Mickey Mouse items, and I still visit Disney World whenever the opportunity exists.  As I enter Disney, I feel like a child, and I’m definitely ready to play.

While I had an abundance of toys bought from a store, I definitely do not remember them.  With the exception of Barbie and some board games, I remember the boxes that “things” came in, and how I used a box to design a circus tent for my make-believe circus… and a box to make a car to drive to Disney, of course… and a box to create a kitchen, which was more fun than the toy kitchen I had in the room.  There were a zillion costumes in my basement, just waiting for a story or play to arise.  My favorite costume, of course, was Cinderella, and I wore the glass slippers all the time!  For me, reading was a form of play; books were my toys!  I loved to read, and I remember my parents reading with me all of the time.  I used to think the library was the best place to "play;" I remember going to the big library in downtown Philadelphia and spending an entire day there.  Books were the best present that I could receive, except an empty box!!!!

Play today is very different from what I remember.  Parents are afraid to let their children go outside to play; our doors were never locked, so I could go in and out to play with the neighborhood kids.  Children today play video games, where they need little imagination or creativity.  Today, the computer or television fill children’s weekends.  Parents are often too busy to play with their children; my parents always played with me.  My mom did not work, so she spent a lot of time playing with me (and my sister).  My mom and I pained in the living room, cooked in the kitchen, and used play dough on the basement floor.  We made cities out of blocks together and necklaces out of shells we collected on the beach.  Play was my life as a young child. 

As an adult, I can see reflections of my childhood play.  I guess my parents were strong enough to build its value into my existence, and of course, my husband is flexible enough to allow me to keep some child-like characteristics.  I still like to create, even if it’s for a workshop.  I love to paint with liquid water color, just like young children.  I love to design books that children can use in their classroom.  These activities, although work related, are play, for me.  They bring out my creativity and my imagination; they allow me to reflect on my childhood as see the world with the awe and wonder of a child.  I hope that we’ve rubbed some of these thoughts off on our son, Adam; playing as a big kid is pretty remarkable, too!