Growing up an only child was tough because I didn't always have friends in the neighborhood or friends from school that could come over. However, I did have many toys and things to play with in my own house with my parents or family. There was a boy that lived nextdoor and we played together a lot outside. We rode bikes, pulled each other in the wagon, played hide and seek and other outside games together. When I was inside, I played with dolls and my kitchen set. My parents and I played board games on the weekends and my dad and I played soccer pass on the weekends as well. We had a great time and I didn't hate being an only child. I actually found myself being creative in play because I was by myself a majority of the time. I am a social person and get along with others very easily. I didn't find that having no brothers or sisters made me any less social or creative.
You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.”
― Plato
“Life is more fun if you play games.”
― Roald Dahl, My Uncle Oswald
I totally agree that life is more fun if you play games with others and yourself. Games open minds, provide entertainment, and allow for children to grow intellectually and socially with others.
Today, I still love to play "house" or "school" with the children in my childcare program. They love to play restaurant and pretend they work at Starbucks! It is so fun to see how their little minds think and how they process their everyday ideas of how they live. It begins to give me a glimpse into how they are with their families and friends outside of school as well.
I too played with a neighborhood boy. We played alot outside as well. I always was a barbie girl. Good to know they still are out there :) I enjoyed your post and I truly understand your conncetions with play in todays society. Playing Starbucks--so cute.
ReplyDeleteI also was an early child! I found that I was much more independent in my play because I didn't need other people to make my play happen. I see that you didn't think you were any less social but do you think you were social in a different way? I always found it easier to be with other adults and interact than I did with children. Although I did love to play with whoever would play with me, but I would seek out the company of adults instead.
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