September 23, 2016 - 16:27
Playtime is a vital aspect of childhood. By fostering learning and fun, play creates fond memories that last throughout people’s lifetimes. While the nostalgia of play seems to be a positive experience, there are aspects of play that are reflections of the realities of the world imprinted on children’s minds. Play is a key component of a child’s development through the various creative and emotional changes that occur. In such an environment, children are allowed to explore various aspects of life as well as develop their own opinions on how they view the world. Play is an important part of shaping children’s worldviews, yet there are potential dangers when play becomes limited by outside factors including representation and authority figures.
While play seems to simply be an enjoyable pastime, it is an important factor in a child’s development. Not only does play allow children to use their energy in a positive manner, it also “is a central part of neurological growth and development” (Henig). Children gradually absorb information from their surroundings, such as behavior and form, to understand what is happening. However, Henig’s article fails to state that children seem to learn more than behavioral changes in their peers. There are social aspects that children absorb from their surroundings, such as how one child “was waiting to look like [their] dolls when [they] grew older” (Mystical Mermaid). What simply seems to be a toy becomes a subtle representation of the world that confused this child. Instead of having the representation that they needed, they were left instead with an impression of what American children “should” be like – blonde haired and blue eyed. There is a subtle feeling “that society viewed [them] as inferior because there were no dolls that looked like [them]” and leaves these impressions on a child’s developing mind (Mystical Mermaid). Play does provide a positive experience where children are able to develop social functions along with their peers. However, play also provides a space where children must come to face the biases that are prevalent throughout society. Standards that are prevalent throughout society bleed into the manufactured toys and the fixed situations that children play in.
The lack of diversity in toys and limited views on play reinforce gender and identity standards that many would consider detrimental to the development of a child’s freedom of expression. Gendered sections and the general lack of variety promotes the feeling that children who “do not belong” are doing something wrong. This accentuates the seemingly “standard” views in America, where blue is for boys and pink is for girls. As Mystical Mermaid stated earlier, these feelings of inferiority arise from the lack of representation. With a community as diverse as America, the lack of differentiation between each set of toys leaves us with binaries that force feelings of unease that prevent the positive effects of play. It is important to acknowledge that play is a vital aspect of expression and exploration. Without the freedom to try out new things, children are unable to reap the full benefits of play. By being told instead that those toys “were not meant for them”, play becomes a destructive and harmful factor that instead crushes the healthy formation of self-identity. Moreover, when authority figures (such as parents, guardians, educators) further enforce the binaries, children may become unable to express themselves in a way that they wish. The inability for children to do as they please drastically removes them from the positive effects of play.
Whose job is it to create the various aspects of play required for the healthy formation of a child’s growth? Given the various situations that there are, it is impossible to pinpoint specific aspects of play to tackle the problem. Rather, a general statement can be made: allowing children the freedom they choose and promoting individual growth and exploration may be one of the best ways to allow them to develop their self-identity. Issues of representation may not be solved overnight, but allowing children to bypass the lines of what is traditionally for them allows for self-exploration that promotes individual discovery. While play is seen as the fond memories of our childhood, the danger of play increases as children are unable to be supported by the things they like most.