It’s Just Play you say?

I was so inspired by my friend Marit’s recent post that I knew straight away I wanted to ad to the conversation. I think it’s such an important topic that so many people looking in from the outside don’t realise just how much deeper the facade of “play” really goes.

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I don’t see PLAY. I see friendship. Co-operation. Leadership. Problem solving. Team work. Curiosity. Joy. Risk taking. Skills that will stay with our kids for life. #raisingstrongkids#lifeislearning

@onechangeaweek

This is just my sentiment! When I look in reflection over our days spent adventuring with the children, I see so much more than “play”. I feel there is such an undervalued connotation to play, that so many fail to grasps it’s true lasting imprint on the brain and blueprint of the lifelong human psychology.

See, so often we never forget the “first time” we experienced something… which means to me at least that: childhood is a brilliant time to make moments count…make them beautiful and fulfilling, so as to impact the expectations we have on life!

Like Marit in her quote above, I too see SO much more than play! I see problem solving, conflict resolution and negotiation skills development, cooperation, brain development through risk analysis, balance and confidence building, discovery of how to embody oneself and connect to one’s own inner self as well as others… which is Relationship and engaging…true connection with others….something the world today sorely forgets how to do!

See, so the next time you look at children playing and see it as a lack of anything… take a moment to really consider the value in that. Because I see so much more! Free play to me is the ultimate source of emotional fulfilment and the experience of true human “being” that we lack in the world today! And looking at the rocketing youth suicide rates (sorry, not sorry for getting real with you), It’s time we woke up to what’s wrong with the social experiments (systems and norms) of our time!

My point is, I feel that too much focus s placed on academia in today’s world and most certainly not enough on emotional intelligence and connection. So when the opportunity for play arises… I take it with open arms. Because it’s so much more than that! It’s an essential foundation for mental health, a time to connect to rather than squash and switch off from our innate physical needs to move freely!

THIS is what I see when my children play! What do you see?