MY CONNECTIONS TO PLAY

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” ~ George Bernard Shaw 

“It’s better to play than do nothing.” ~ Confucius

“It is a happy talent to know how to play.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

When I was growing up we wanted to play. I can remember going out in the morning with my sister and staying out side all day. The only time that we went in was to eat, use the bathroom, or cool off. I enjoyed being outside. I was able to go anywhere I wanted in my mind. We would pretend to be at the beach, on an airplane, riding a horse. We used anything that we could find laying around as props. Children today don’t know what that kind of play is. When I had my children I continued to play with them. They had toys and video games, but I made sure that they got the “Quality” type of play that they needed to grow.

Shared a bike with my sister.

Tippy Tumble was my favorite doll.

Making mud pies was the bomb!

On the weekend when my mother wasn’t working she took us to the park or out to eat She always bought games that we played together as a family. Monopoly was my favorite board game. She also bought me a deck of cards that she taught me how to count and add with. We were very creative in making the things that we had work for us. i took those things that I was taught and used it with my own children.

Play is very different today. We buy our children a lot of electronic gadgets that takes the place of normal play. Children complain about it’s too hot or I’m tired when we suggest they go outside. My children had games, but I made sure they spent time outside. I bought them scooters, bicycles, and a volley ball set to make sure that outside time happened. It was important to me that I spent time with them outside. We went to the park every Sunday after church to ride bikes. Our parents are getting younger, so the television has taken place of play time. I think that because of the play time that I had as a child and the play time that my children had, it has made us more social people. We are all healthy and comfortable in our lives.

Enjoying family time at Myrtle Beach, SC