Reflecting about play has had enormous impact on me as human being and has helped to shape my human potential. By filling out these reflections I learned many new things about myself and also have seen what it has done to make me the man I am today. This ranges from me playing throughout life, realising my barriers to play and my life goals, and finally how all these made me the man I am today. Through out my life I use to surmise that play was just for children but this is not the case as adults and children should play. As a young child in my early years I enjoyed kicking a soccer ball, climbing on a play structure that my parents bought me, and in a sandbox that my dad constructed in the backyard. In my years as a toddler these practices …show more content…
The barriers that I currently have in my life are work, school, time, money, and lack of transportation. However, I have started finding solutions to these current barriers and have started breaking through them. Balancing work, school, and play has always been a struggle for me because I am far more work oriented than play oriented. I have solved this problem by establishing a schedule for myself that still includes my school work and classes and work but also allows me some time to play. For money, I have started to save money and have created a separate account in my bank account for fun and activities. Every Dollar that is left over from expenses and savings goes into this account and at the end of the month I am going to use this money for a fun adventure. My lack of transportation has been solved with Uber and a bus pass. My current life goals are to become an investment banker, have a nice family one day, travel, and to have a nice car and house. To accomplish these goals I will have to earn a degree in Tourism, Hospitality, and Recreation management for California State University, Northridge, intern for various banks, and earn my masters of business administration in either accounting or finance. However if this does not work out my back up plans are to be in wealth management or a manager of a major hotel. I would accomplish this by earning a degree and then start working my way to the
As I reflect on my college life, I wonder about the choices I have made that have led me to where I am today and that will guide me into shaping who I long to become. The things I have had to sacrifice, the support and experiences I have had with family, friends, strangers and work colleagues. I don’t know what I will be doing three months or thirty years from now but I do know that I want to have new experiences. When I graduated from high school, I knew I didn’t want to be that person that moved back to the same town and stayed there for the rest of my life. I even contemplate leaving the United States in my adult life. Who really knows, maybe those cards are still in the deck. For now, I know my immediate goals include focusing on completing my college education the best I can, and moving away from my comfort zone, broadening my horizons and taken risks.
Many theorists have tried to define play as a concept, however, no two agree on a set definition. Their backgrounds and induvial lifestyles influence the way they see the importance of play. Reed and Brown also believe that there isn’t an agreed definition of play because is something that is felt rather than done (Reed & Brown, 2000 cited in Brock, Dodd’s, Jarvis & Olusoga, 2009). In spite of this, it is clear that most theorists uphold the ethos that play is imperative to a child’s learning and development. There is a wide range of different studies and theories which helps us develop our own perception of what play is. In my personal experience I have found play to be a way of expressive our emotions, exploring and learning new things, thus
The Target store located at Dallas Highway in Marietta, Georgia, was chosen for the fieldwork assignment. This particular store was selected because of recent renovations to the toy area. The new arrangement of the toy department appears slightly different than traditional organizations of toys in the past. The location of the toys is in direct relation and physical flow from the baby equipment, supplies, and apparel. Toys transition from birth in the infant area initially in terms of age demographics, type of activity, and brand of toy to more obvious gender divisions beginning in the preschool toys. In the toy section for school age children, gender separation is clearly established. Gender divisions become more obvious in this age group according to colors, themes, and character depiction. The girl toys feature pink, purple, and pastel colors. The highlighted décor in the store’s displays and packaging for girls involves embellishments such as pictures of girls, flowers, glitter, and jewels. The boy section portrays color schemes that are primarily in blue, red, yellow, gray, and black. Packaging images are of male children. The sections including educational toys, games, sporting equipment, outdoor play, sound and music, building, puzzles, and arts appear to be more gender neutral although some gender specific items can be identified by color or themes such as princess/fairytale or Ninja Turtle. The configuration of the toys clearly states that color, themes, and character representation are irrelevant to infants and toddlers, while parent’s attitudes about color and gender may be important aspects of unintentional socialization in the maturation of children. Marketing strategies appeal to children, but adult’s perception of ...
Early childhood teachers often say that “play is a child’s work” while some parents ask ‘Did my child just play all day?’” (Rice 1). Many people do not realise how important play is and what role it plays in the development of their children. Teachers provide opportunities for children to have spontaneous, unstructured child-initiated play experiences by providing stimulating materials to “enhance and entice children into play” (Rice 2). These materials include loose parts and are open-ended and spark creativity by providing children opportunities to think, plan, and carry out their play (Rice 2). Limited learning may take place if teachers do not make play easier and maximize the benefits (Rice 2). Teacher support is also a necessary component
An Article by Dr. Leong and Dr. Bodrova (2016) stated that play is beneficial to children’s learning especially when it reaches a certain degree of complexity. When they engage in play activities most of their early years, they learn to delay gratification and to prioritize their goals and actions. They also learn to consider the perspectives and needs of other people and to represent things significantly to regulate their behavior and actions in a cautious, intentional way.
The word “play” has numerous meanings to different people in different contexts. Therefore it cannot have one definition and is described in a number of ways. Smith (2010) describes play as involvement in an activity, purely for amusement and to take part for fun. That play is “done for it’s own sake, for fun, not for any external purpose.” (Smith, 2010. P4) Therefore, as one precise definition cannot be presented for the word ‘play,’ it is described in a number of ways such as social dramatic play. Briggs and Hanson (2012) portray social dramatic play as the building blocks of a child’s ability to accept the possibility to step into another world, building and developing on children’s higher order thinking, accentuating the child as a social learner. Another example of play is exploratory play, which is described as children being placed in an explorer or investigator role, to identify the cause or affect a resources that is presented to them has. (Briggs, M and Hanson, A. 2012) Games are also another example of play. They are included on the basis that playing games with rules, regardless of age, can develop a child’s intellectual capabilities along with their physical, behavioural and emotional health. (Briggs, M and Hanson, A. 2012).
All children play and it is something that most children do because they are having fun, but without realising children are developing and learning skills when they are engaged in play. Play helps stimulate the mind as it is practical and gives children the chance to explore and experience new situations. It can also ensure that children get to think by themselves and be spontaneous as they control their own play. Children get the chance to be creative and imaginative which develops independence for children. Play is vital for child development and helps children develop five main areas of development:
...ctive. Play is an essential learning tool and one that must not be ignored within the classroom. It is a catalyst to help children develop socially, emotionally, physically and cognitively. It is not only an important part of a child’s development as a pupil but also a child’s development as an individual.
Isenberg, J. P., & Jalongo, M. R. (2010, July 20). Why is Play Important? Social and Emotional Development, Physical Development, Creative Development | Education.com.
The Play Strategy for Scotland is a national initiative that is very much relevant to my topic. The main aim is to create the best place for children to grow up in Scotland. It also aims to achieve making children able to play safely in their environment. The initiative links to my topic as it identifies the importance of play being a life-enhancing daily experience and its contribution to a happy, healthy childhood. The Play Strategy also protects children’s ability to play. (The Scottish Government, 2013)
Article 31 from the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC, 1989) states the right to play is for children to engage in activities freely that are age appropriate. All individuals should endorse equal opportunities for leisure, artistic, cultural and recreational activities. The right of play is important element for education as it is instrumental for achieving health and peak development. (Lester, S., Russell, W. 2010 p. ix) states that rest, leisure and play are combined into a child’s life to be controlled by each individual child not to be coordinated by an adult. Play is children being in control of their own doings; play is allowing children to create, explore, imagine problem solve and experiment in a way in which
Children develop normally when they are exposed to different types of play that allow them to express themselves while using their imaginations and being physically active. According to the Center for Health Education, Training and Nutrition Awareness, “Play is child’s work”; this is true because it is a child’s job to learn and develop in their first few years of life, in order for them to do this, they play. Not only is playing a child’s full time job, the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights listed play as a right of every child. Through their full time job of play, the children develop emotionally, socially, physically, and creatively. Children need to participate in child-led play in order to facilitate healthy development of their minds, body, and creativity.
As I am preparing for a new chapter in my life, I have put a lot thought in about what I want out of life and what to look forward to as I get older. In order for one to achieve anything, they need to set goals to reach for. I have a handful of goals for my future, short term and long term, that I will actively work towards in my college years and beyond. In my time at UW Eau Claire, I plan to be involved and engaged in student activities on campus. Being active will help me meet new people, build a better resume, and have fun at college. At UWEC, I would like to get involved in anything musical, along with various clubs and Greek life. Similarly, another goal of mine is to have a job on campus. Having a job will not only help me make some
In Kindergarten school, some parent believes play is the best way for young children to learn the conceptions, skills, and set a solid foundation for later school and life success. In the other hand, many parents disagree and believe play is a waste of time, messy, noisy, and uneducationall. I believe play is not waste of time, but it something worth to fight for, in this presentation I would show parent the main importance of some of the numerous kinds of play, and why play is a fundamental basis for improving children’s ability to succeed in school and life.
A very wise man; Charles Schaefer, once said “We are never more fully alive, more completely ourselves, or more deeply engrossed in anything than when we are playing.” To begin with, there is no one explanation about what play really is, other than the fact that it holds infinite numbers of definitions according to every single individual. Play is just not a physical body movement involved in an activity, but more than that if you look outside of the box. For centuries, play has been practiced in its own unique way with not only children, but adults as well.