In the post “Play”, written by the user Porkchop, the author describes her early experiences of play with her three younger siblings. Their activities seem to fit perfectly within the mainstream conception of childhood play. Her and her siblings built forts, played with army toys in a sandbox, and made up their own games, into which they incorporated everything around them. The author’s description of play feels timeless, it could have easily taken place several decades ago, and free of any serious concerns. In some ways, it seems that the author has been influenced by the myth of childhood, as described by Molly Knefel in her article “Kid Stuff”. While this misconception may not seem harmful on the surface, the danger of romanticizing childhood is two-fold.

Vivian O'Bannon

Professor Jody Cohen

Emily Balch Seminar – Changing Our Story

September 23, 2016

Play: A Method of Learning in School and Learning Life Skills

Survival of the fittest, is a topic not only learned in the classroom but also during recess. We are our childhood in almost every aspect.  Times are constantly changing but the people we were during play remains constant.  “Play” by Porkchop, reminisces on her own experience as the eldest child in a family four children.  The scene they present us with is highly romanticized with children playing in the white fence and garden, but they also mention remembering being outside as one of the key aspects to their experience. The author is saddened that her youngest sibling will now face a different childhood of which Porkchop seemed to have enjoyed so much. She understands that play is not only different throughout time but also throughout human development.

            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.

Kate Weiler

I chose the short posting by Kismet, Operation because I find it so relatable to the games that I would play as a child. Looking back to preschool, I remember playing house or doctor, and now, I can also think about how comical it was when we would just change roles in the middle of the game or break character just like the baby in the short posting. In my English Seminar, Changing Our Story, we performed skits for the class. In one skit, there were four children who were going to play a make believe game. However, they argued on who got to be who and changed their minds about which character they wanted to be. Similarly, in another skit, there were three children who pretended to Beyoncé, Joan of Arc, and a princess.

I define “play” as an activity young children perform that brings them happiness and pleasure. “Play” is usually associated with children as adolescents and adults do not use this word to apply to themselves. If people other than children use this word it is often looked down upon. Furthermore, that person is deemed as strange. Despite that, my idea of play is contradicted by Edensor, Evans, Holloway, Millington and Binnie through their article “Interrogating teleological understandings of play in spaces of material alterity and lower surveillance”. Their idea that play can take place in ruin sites contradicts my idea of play because many times young children are not wandering into ruin sites but young adults and adults are the ones doing so.

Nostalgia is at an all-time high these days.  In an age of political instability, terrorism, education reform, and technological advancement, we often wistfully remember what are often referred to as “the good old days.”  These are the days when kids could ride bikes all over town from dawn until dusk and their parents would rest easy without fear of creeps and kidnappers that might prey on their children.  These are the times when you could play with your dolls instead of being rushed off to a Test-Prep Session or a Cello class.  This was an era when kids played hide-and-seek in their homes instead of their rubble and ruins.  In these troubling times we all want to remember those years that felt carefree and fun.  

I found it very nice to meet in the Rock Common room. Besides the loud noises outside, whcih only lasted for about five minutes, the class seemed comfortable and relaxed. While my inital plan had been to meet on the Carpenter Green, I realized that it was too sunny to all sit in the circle. When we movd to the grass, it was wet and would have probably made for an uncomfortable class. When a classmate proposed the common room, I agreed, and I'm glad we ended up meeting therre. The room had lots of nice, natural light and it was a nice temperature. The class was able to stay engaged and productive.