My Connections to Play

Not my doll, but much like it 

While we try to teach our children all about life,
Our children teach us what life is all about.
~Angela Schwindt

Bitter are the tears of a child: Sweeten them.
Deep are the thoughts of a child: Quiet them.
Sharp is the grief of a child: Take it from him.
Soft is the heart of a child: Do not harden it.
Pamela Glenconner

This last quote describes my childhood so completely but yet there are people I would not have wanted to have lived without, such as my Grandfather and My Aunt.

As I think about play, as much as I remember, play was a time of sending the children out so work could be done in the house without being interrupted.  I used play as a means of escape, play itself could be anywhere from riding the horses to hiding away to read and dream.  I was, and am, a dreamer with lots of things to do before I am done. 

Every one of us has a child lurking inside wanting to come out.  I guess I have that child wanting to come out and play.  I can envision myself by a stream, a small one, possibly a shallow creek, stretched out on a large towel with a book in hand and a dream in the heart.  I am going to read about Australia and dream of a trip I might one day take there.  I read about the kangaroos, what a strange looking animal, and the kookaburra bird with their strange call. 

When I go to Australia, will I have to wear something different, do they dress as we do.  Are all the people prisoners, will I be afraid of the people, what color of skin do they have, what do they eat?  When I go to Australia, will I have to fly or go on a boat, do they have cars?  I read on in my book to find answers.  I will have to ask my Aunt when I get back to the house. 

The sun is getting warm and I am tired of reading so I turn over and watch the clouds.  That one looks like a ship, oh that one looks like a bird, and that one looks like a horse.  Watching the clouds make formations is fun but I fall asleep only to be wakened by a pesky fly on my nose.  I look at the clouds and they have turned dark and are rolling around like an angry sea.  I best get back to the house before the rain starts. 

I feel a drop of rain on my eye and know that I need to run faster.  As I am running, I hear a clap of thunder and more rain pelts my head.  Am I in trouble, am I going to get drenched, oh well, rain is cooling and refreshing but I must get back so not to worry anyone.  I run in the house only to find no one had missed me, they thought I was in my room reading.  Well, I was reading but not in my room but my favorite spot by the creek. 

Australia, will I ever get to go there and see all their strange animals and eat their food and see their clothes?  I hope so, the dream goes on.

The one joy of the summer was playing in the rain barrel.  Each one of us had our chance to play in the barrel.  The only purpose for the rain barrel was to play in it.  Sometimes my grandfather would use some of the water to put on the garden which was nearby.  Most of the time the barrel was for playing, as I remember.  I do not remember much of my childhood, and prefer to not go back but this was something I do remember. 

An adult note:   I went to Australia the last of September of 2004.  I got all my questions answered an more.  It is a beautiful country and my dream is to go there again before I close the book. And yes, I would have been reading a level 3 book by the time I was five.  I started  first grade at four because I could read so well.  That came from reading under the covers with a flashlight for many, many nights.

As  I look at play today versus play when I was a child, children now have so much more "equipment" for play.  The only real toy I remember was a baby doll that my sister and I shared. I am sure, there must have been others but I do not remember them.  Play for me was creative, making our own dishes out of gourds while the children now have all sorts of kitchen equipment to play and create stories with. 

As an adult, I do think that my play has influenced my life in a way to be more sensitive to children, especially those who do not have.  As far as toys, I never felt deprived in that way.  My friend and I spent time creating things out of branches, gourds, and leaves.  I do think that with so much to "have" children are not as creative and do not explore as much.  

I am not sure we teach our children to dream.  That was an important part of my play, dreaming and wondering what the world was like and how it all worked.  As a dreamer, I would go to books as my friends and let them take me to places I never thought I would go.  I now tell my children that,  books can take you to places you might not ever get to go so treat them as your friend.