“Play is not only our creative drive; it’s a fundamental mode of learning.” ~ David Elkind (psychologist, author)
“Play is the highest expression of human development in childhood, for it alone is the free expression of what is in a child’s soul.” Friedrich Froebel (founder of the concept of kindergarten)
In many ways play has stayed the same, children still go outside to run and jump, climb trees, play basketball and so on. The things that have changed are that children are not doing the outside play as much; this is due to the innovation of computers, internet, and video games. Children kind of play has changed they are not as physical as in the past. I am hopeful that families and teachers will encourage children to go back outside to become more physical and go back to the days when children dug holes in the back yard and climbed to the top of the highest trees.
I was never an outdoor child but I can remember being outside running and playing, laughing and having fun. There were always children on my street playing something, you may have a group jumping rope and another playing hide and go seek. I remember not ever having any worries or cares. It was a very freeing time. Even though it was a good experience for me, I didn’t give my nephew the opportunity to do the same, I never encouraged him to go out and play. I think it was the fear of what might happen to him. But as of a last year I started to encourage him to spend more time outside playing and he does.
