DEDICATED TO PLAY

"MY CONNECTIONS TO PLAY"

I SELECTED THESE TWO QUOTES THAT I FEEL SUMMAIZE WHAT PLAY REPRESENTED FOR ME IN CHILDHOOD.
"I WILL NOT PLAY TUG O'WAR.  I'D RATHER PLAY HUG O' WAR.  WHERE EVERYONE HUGS INSTEAD OF TUGS.  WHERE EVERYONE GIGGLES AND ROLLS ON THE RUG.  WHERE EVERYONE KISSES, AND EVERYONE GRINS, AND EVERYONE CUDDLES, AND EVERYONE WINS." 
~ Shel Silverstein

"WE WORRY ABOUT WHAT A CHILD WILL BECOME TOMORROW, YET WE FORGET THAT HE IS SOMEONE TODAY. ~ Stacia Tausher

HERE ARE TWO TO THREE PICTURES OF ESSENTIAL PLAY ITEMS FOR ME WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.
1.  I PLAYED HOUSE A LOT WHEN I WAS GROWING UP.  THE ITEMS THAT I USED A LOT WERE DISHES, BROOM, MOP AND BABY DOLLS.  EVERY HOUSE I WENT OVER WITH MY MOM I CLEANED THEIR HOUSE.  MY MOTHER USE TO TELL PEOPLE "AUDREY WANTS TO BE A MOMMY WHEN SHE GROWS UP."

MY DADDY SUPPORTED PLAY WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.  HE WOULD OFTEN CHASE MY SISTER AND ME ROUND THE HOUSE AND SAY HE WAS THE VAMPIRE OF WHATEVER YEAR IT WAS AND THE ONLY WAY FOR HIM TO LET YOU GO AND NOT BITE YOU WAS, YOU HAD TO SAY YOU WANTED A TRUCE.  THEN HE WOULD ALLOW US TO RUN AFTER HIM AND BE THE VAMPIRE AND WE COULD DO THE SAME THING TO HIM.  HE WOULD ALSO PLAY HIDE-AND SEEK WITH US AND BE THE PERSON WHO COUNTS AND TRY TO FIND YOU.

I BELIEVE PLAY TODAY IS SIMILAR BY CHILDREN BE CREATIVE AT YOUNG AGES ONLY. CHILDREN ARE DIFFERENT WHEN I WAS ENGAGING IN PLAY.  SEEMS LIKE IT CHANGED WHEN CHILDREN START TO CHANGE WHEN THEY ARE SCHOOL AGE.  WHEN I WAS A CHILD WE CREATED OUR OWN GAMES.  TODAY WITH OLDER CHILDREN VIDEO GAMES AND CELL PHONES ARE THE GAMES.  I RARELY SEE CHILDREN RIDING THEIR BIKES ANY MORE.  MY HOPES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN WITH REGARDS TO PLAY IS SOMEONE IS PLACED IN THEIR LIFE THAT WILL HELP THEM LEARN AND PLAY THE GAMES I DID WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.

I REGARD THE ROLE OF PLAY THOUGHOUT MY LIFE AS A GOD SENT.  THE ROLE OF PLAY MADE ME WHO I AM TODAY.  I WAS ALLOWED TO PLAY FROM "SUN UP TO SUN DOWN."  THIS WAS ALLOWED MORE BY MY MOTHER THAN MY DAD.  HOWEVER, AS LONG AS OUR CHORES AND HOMEWORK WAS FINISHED WE COULD PLAY AS LONG AS WE WANTED.  THIS WENT ON THROUGH THE WEEK, WEEKENDS, AND ALL SUMMER.  I BELIEVE THAT EARLY LEARNING OF CARING FOR MY DOLLS AND TAKING CARE OF THE HOUSE HAS HELPED ME BECOME A GOOD MOTHER AND A GOOD CARETAKER OF MY HOME.  I WAS RECOMMENDED BY MY MOM'S FRIENDS TO BABY SIT THEIR OTHER FRIENDS KIDS.  I BELIEVE I BECAME AN EDUCATOR BECAUSE OF MY BACKGROUND OF NATURING CHILDREN AND BEING ALLOWED THE TIME IT TOOK TO PLAY.  I REALLY THOUGHT I WAS GREAT AT KEEPING HOUSE AND CHILDREN.  I DO BELIEVE I HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO HELP CHILDREN BE SUCCESSFUL AT PLAY AND ACADEMICS.  I BELIEVE I AM ACCOMPLISHING THIS TASK THROUGHOUT ADULTHOOD AS A TEACHER.