After a long work week working with the kiddos, I just want to "play" by getting into my favorite pajamas, firing up Netflix, and sipping sangria with my hubby.
Speaking of play, our topic this week has been all about childhood play and how important it is in terms of development. We established that play is essential in developing social, physical, and cognitive skills in children while also learning that play has different variations and cultural backgrounds.
Growing up, play was different for me than some of my peers. I grew up on Chicago's south side and didnt live in the best of neighborhoods. Running around outside in grassy fields ans meadows is uncommon for me while playing kickball with my friends was something I never heard off until middle-school.
Play for me was double-dutch on the street until the street lights came on, block party dance contest to Chicago juke music, and Saturday night skate parties at "The Rink" with my friends.
Due to the area of my upbringing, I wasnt allowed outside much and going to a neighborhood park was not common unless it was the one downtown where it was safe- and that was every so often. When I was outside, I socialized with my friends from school and my block; jumping double dutch and slurping on bomb pop popscicles for $1 while the boys played basketball at the court across the street fron us.
Play is different than it was when I was a child because it is very technology driven. Children arent encouraged to go out and be active anymore and are more interested in their mobile devices and electronics than getting dirty and sweaty in the summer heat. When I was younger, my mother would force me out the house just to get active and "be social".
I had family and friends support me during my play as it was engrained into my culture and background upbringing. Soing much od anything else would deviate from the social norms at the time. As an adult, I apprecoate ny mother encouraging me to branch out and become social with other young ladies because I could sometimes be a loner. My mother was concerned with my social development and felt outside interaction and play would create friendships- which they did.
If I could pick two quotes to describe my childhood play they would be:
"Hey Chanel (Yeah?)...Are you ready (For What?)....To Jig (Jig what?)....JIGALO"- Childhood Game Lyrics
"Be back in this house before them street lights come on!" - Black mothers in America
Hi Chanel,
ReplyDeleteIt is such a coincidence, because as I was writing my blog, I was also drinking sangria, say what? haha. Your quotes and pictures reminds me about a lot of things I forgot about my childhood. Your last quote made me laugh so much because our island mothers would say that to us kids back home every day. Other than saying street lights (because we didn't have any) they would say "Be home before I hear the crickets"! To this day, I understand the role of my parents in my childhood play. They encouraged me to be spirited and find fun in my early years, however they still cared about my safety. This is why play was so important to me, and I am glad that you enjoyed your childhood play time as well. Great blog post! It's really fun to read.