"Playground games such as "Mother May I?" or "Red Light/Green Light" develop self-control and social skills; board games promote taking turns, strategic thinking, and problem-solving; sports, playground equipment, and blocks or other construction activities augment physical coordination; and word games promote lingustic and social skills. Children need an atmosphere in which exploration and play ar...e valued and encouraged, a print-rich environment in which books encourage verbal skills; materials challenge the imagination, and there is positive social interaction. A play-derived environment in which children rely too much on "screen time" - video games, television, movies, and computer-based diverion - to fill their time is sterile and seldom draws upon creativity." - Miquela Rivera, "The Powerful Effect of Play in a Child's Education".
Miquela Rivera's explanation of the importance of play reminds me of what it was like as a child. It's unbelievable to read this, look back and realize that those games had an underlying purpose and the experiences were priceless.
"Play has been man's most useful occupation." - Frank Caplan, Contemporary American Author
Though I'm not ver old, I can remember my uncle taking the time to make me a doll house by hand. After constant visits to his house and watching step by step, the product was finally finished and ready to take home. Once home, I enjoyed hours upon hours of play with my newly built doll house and felt very special that he would take the time to do something like that, just for me.
Living in a major city and driving on interstate highways reminds me of the times my brother and I used to race our cars on the windy tracks on my bedroom floor. Then, I lived in a small town and I had no idea that a "Spaghetti Junction" could be real. Today, I frequent Spaghetti Junction, and I still find fascination in the loopdy loops.
Though a more structured play, I distinctly remember playing basketball outside with my brother and children from our neighborhood. Though there were already rules to the game, playing basketball with other people helped develop social skills amongst me and my friends.
Reading about the different types of play has encouraged me to attempt to incorporate them more into my early childhood classroom. Now that I am responsible for teaching Science and Social Studies, I believe that I can incorporate constructive play more into the classroom. Knowing that each type of play has a direct effect on a child's development, I can make a more deliberate attempt to meet students needs in this area.
