Children learn so many things from playing and apply the knowledge that we teach them on a daily basis. An example that comes to mind is students will come to me and say "Look Ms. Beck, I made an octagon or a triangle". This shows me they are learning and applying what they are learning in their world of play. I also see children pretending to read to each other, teach each other the letters, etc.
In my younger days we play outside for hours. I have a younger brother and we would play hide and go seek, tag, ride our bicycles, swing, build forts, etc. The essential items for my childhood were the great outdoors, my bicycle, swing set, and imagination.
Hello Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteWe share the same favorite quote " play is our brain's favorite way of learning". I believe play encourages children to reach beyond their imagination and think outside the box. Uninterrupted play allows children to focus on their goals and to think critically while utilizing materials in different ways. Nice Post!
~Markethia
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI too remember spending countless hours outside playing childhood games such as: Hide & Seek; One, Two, Three, Red Light; Simon Says; and participating in numerous talents shows, just to name a few. During the summer months, playtime was from sun-up to sun-down only stopping to take a restroom broke and or get a light snack from the fridge. There were six of us so needless to say we had plenty of on hand participants. Creative play long ago helped us: strengthen our verbal and non-verbal skills, heighten our imagination, and increased our ability to make lasting relationships.
Hi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteOne of the funnest things that I like to do as well when I was younger was ride my bike with the children in the neighborhood and my family. Now today I ride bikes with my children and they love it. I feel that when adults pitch in and play with children they enjoy it more.
A quick story: my cousins and I all use to go to grandma's house at the same time. Boy grandma had her hands full with 11 grand children at her house at the same time, but she knew that we loved to play together and that we always had fun finding different outdoor activities to do. So one day we all were racing and wanted to prove who was the fastest... My grandmother made as statement from the porch saying "Aw all of yall slow, I can out run all yall" so we said grandma come on and race us. We did not think in a million years that we would ever see our 60 year old grandmother compete against her grand children by racing. So she got up came to the starting line (us thinking it was a joke) and there she ran out running all of us as she said with none of us holding back; she beat us fair and square. That was one of the greatest time of our lives and it has brought memories how our parents and grandparents get involved with their children to make play fun..
--Kim