The Importance of Play (My week 4 assignment- letter to the editor!)

Dear Editor: Have you ever made a mud pie? Do you know what a mud pie is? Of course you do! If you’re old enough to read this, I’m sure you’ve made a mud pie before. The question is, have your children ever made a mud pie? Most would answer probably with a no, but why haven’t they? Children would rather sit in front of the television, Ipad, Ipod or computer than to go outside and play. I hear Mrs. Obama speak about eating healthy and having a healthy lifestyle, but if we are in school for eight hours a day and stuck inside for 7.5 of those hours doing paperwork or busywork, then how can we be healthy? Physically? Mentally? Look at this research project done by Phsychologist Harry Harlow. “Interested in the role of play in socialization of young monkeys, Harlow took away their natural playtime, keeping them in social isolation for up to six months. When he reunited these monkeys with their normally raised peers, they exhibited aggressive social behavior like biting and hitting, as well as autistic-like qualities of rocking and avoidance. However, with the addition of a half an hour of playtime, Harlow found that the socially awkward monkeys could be re-socialized to be comparable to their peers. So, that leads me to wonder, “Is it possible that our kids are like these monkeys?” As they miss these experiences in their childhood, will they become less flexible, less able to agree upon and make rules with their peers, and more aggressive?” (Warner, 2008). Have you ever wondered why there are so many more children in elementary school with labels now than there was 50 years ago? Today, children are forced to sit in a room doing paperwork after paperwork, made to constantly follow directions, all because play is unnecessary. People like to think that academics are more important. The Common Core is pushing teachers to do more and more paperwork so there is less time for other things. I can remember when preschool was just playtime, you were lucky if you’d learn one letter. Kindergarten was meant for teaching letters and more playing. First grade was meant for reading. This year my class is very brilliant and I have started them on reading. I have a preschooler who is able to sound out words and read books on his own! There is only one problem, “Pushing children to perform at a level they aren't old enough to handle increases behavior problems and failure rates and takes away from a focus on the importance of play, which is what 5-year-olds really should be doing. Playing is the best way to learn social skills and self-control—which just might result in kids deciding that they really like going to school” (Shute, 2009). Our state website even stated, “The development of motor skills is essential to the total growth process of children. Current research indicates that movement activates the brain and prepares it for learning. The outdoor environment is the natural place for this to occur” (n.d., p.40). Hand-eye coordination, balance, strength, endurance, negotiation, turn taking, role playing, vocabulary development and social skills are just some benefits of play. Play is the best way in which children learn, not only young children, but also older children. I also read that our body produces Vitamin D from being outside in the sun and you can meet your Vitamin D requirements this way. “Vitamin D is important to the body in many other ways as well. Muscles need it to move, for example, nerves need it to carry messages between the brain and every body part, and the immune system needs Vitamin D to fight off invading bacteria and viruses” (Vitamin D). I found this very interesting because it seems important to be in the sun! If you have a Vitamin D deficiency, your brain and muscles may not function properly. That is one reason why I would love to see older kids having class outside or going on nature walks. Now that I’ve explained how important play is, can you continue giving your school children paper work? There are better ways to handle these things. Children learn better when they are able to put their hands on it. For example, instead of doing math papers, put shaving cream on the kids desks and let them draw math problems, solve them and then “erase” them by smearing the shaving cream back out. There are many different ways to do this. Remember, we are trying to save trees, so slow down with the paper work and get your hands dirty! References Oklahoma Department of Education. (n.d.). The early childhood learning environment. Retrieved February 2, 2013, from http://ok.gov/sde/sites/ok.gov.sde/files/EarlyChildLearnEnv.pdf Shute, N. (2009, April 7). Kindergarten Tests and The Importance of Play. [Blog message]. Retrieved from http://health.usnews.com/healthnews/blogs/onparenting/2009/04/07/kindergarten-tests-and-the-importance-of-play Warner, L. (2008). "You're It!": Thoughts on Play and Learning in Schools. Horace, 24(2).