Let's Play!

Photo ©2006, B.Gini

Have you taken time to play with your children & teens lately? 

It seems that our society is compelled to discourage play as 'unproductive' in favor of imposing knowledge through drill and repetition & pressuring kids to 'learn' more & more facts, even before they can stand, walk or talk. But what about playing? Where does that fit in?

One of the reasons that I love teaching children yoga is because we are learning while we are playing. (Three of my favorite activities all at the same time!) Maybe its that element of play that I miss in my adult life, and I am recapturing it for myself as I work with the kids, but it has made me aware of what engages them.

Play makes healthy activities like yoga more available for children by harnessing the exciting elements of surprise, imagination, spontaneous problem solving and using them as a vehicle to engage & teach children a variety of tangible and abstract topics:  the science of  health, yogasana (postures), anatomy, movement, nutrition, biology, astronomy, history, mythology, world cultures, manners, character development and more. This now becomes not only recreational, but therapeutic and educational as well. The kids become more healthy, they learn incidentally and in a natural, relaxed manner and retain what they learn without a single lecture, worksheet, quiz, exam or 'standardized' test. They have fun playing and have no idea that they are learning too!

For the past 100 years, many educators and scientists have developed play theories:

Herbert Spencer, psychologist and philosopher, (1820) stated that humans have a constant amount of energy that must be expended. Early in our existence, that energy was used meeting survival needs. As our civilization has advanced, less energy was used meeting these needs. We compensate by releasing our excess energy through play.

Sigmund Freud, psychoanalyst, (1856) suggested that play was a therapeutic way of expressing socially unacceptable behaviors in a more acceptable manner.

Karl Groos, zoologist, (1861) studied play first in animals, then in humans. He explained that play was a way of preparing for survival in the adult world.

Maria Montessori, (1870), elaborated on Karl Groos' theory. She proposed that children would be better off if they spent their play learning, or imagining, useful things. These two theorists feel that "play is the child's work."

Jean Piaget, psychologist, (1896) focused on intellectual development in children. He suggested that human intellect develops in stages through assimilation (transforming the environment to meet the requirements of self), or play, and accommodation (transforming self to meet the requirements of the environment), or work.

Lev Vygotsky, psychologist, (1896) emphasizes social development aspect of play. He suggests that there is an ability level that children can reach but not without help from adults, which he refers to as a zone of proximal development, or ZPD. When children play, they give cues to adults about their readiness to learn new skills with assistance.

David Elkind, chair of the Department of Child Development at Tufts University, suggests that children play for personal reasons, and any developmental value is beside the point. In other words, they just want to have fun!

Many in depth studies have been done on the effects of movement and spontaneous play on brain development & the data shows overwhelmingly that there are numerous benefits to play on many levels: physical, emotional, social, cognitive, sensory, affective, attentional, receptive and expressive verbal as well as experiential/educational. Movement is the way our brains develop and play is the way we move. Play has been used successfully by educators as a specific methodology for educating & working with children. Play is the Child's Work!

 
But what about grownups?
 

Childhood is the time of our life when we feel most alive, because of the way we play, and use our bodies & imaginations, although many of us don't remember this as adults. As childhood gives way to adulthood, many of us just stop playing. We exchange play for studying, work, family and other responsibilities. When we finally do have some 'free' time, we sit in front of the TV or computer rather than engaging in some brain-and-body stimulating active play.

By giving ourselves permission to play we can continue to reap its benefits throughout life.

Both indoor and outdoor play is a necessary activity for both children and adults. It teaches us how to manage and change our "negative" experiences. It helps relieve stress, and connects us to others, nature and the world around us.

So what are you waiting for? Go find a child-your child (maybe your inner child) - and Let's Play!

Physical Benefits of Play:

•gross motor learning

•fine motor skills
•body awareness
•balance & flexibility
•sensory integration
•improved metabolism
•improved heart and lung functions
•tension release
•brain/body integration

Social/Emotional Benefits of Play:

•cooperation
•sharing
•turn-taking
•conflict resolution
•leadership skills
•self-control
•self-expression
•confidence
•anxiety reduction
•fun, enjoyment, love & belonging

*What are your favorite creative ideas for indoor/outdoor play? We'd love to hear about them! Please leave a comment below!



RESOURCES:

 BodyLogique® 


Read More:
 
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
 
Play=Learning: How Play Motivates & Enhances Children’s Cognitive & Social-Emotional growth.  (New York, NY: Oxford University Press)

The Benefits of Play and Playwork- ( playscotland.org)
 
Montessori Philosophy & Practice







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