Child’s play is the child’s work

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32819, 20 January 1972, Page 9

Child’s play is the child’s work

“Go outside and play”— a common enough statement for any parent or teacher but one which carries important implications for a young child.

To the developing child play is work and how he plays often shows fairly clearly how well adjusted he is to school, to other children and to his home.

Through play a child explores life and learns about himself, he discovers new interests and becomes increasingly aware of the kind of work—or play—he prefers and the kind of relationship he enjoys with others. The child who shouts “Gimme that” when playing with others, who continually demands top place is nevertheless learning about the difficult task of finding a place for. himself in the group. Few things level a child more and teach him to adapt to others than the influence of his own age group.

In play a child finds a natural medium for self expression. He has a chance to play out his accumulated feelings of tension, frustration, insecurity, aggression, fear, and confusion. For example when a group of kindergarten children plan and act out the burial of a dead bird or of a doll broken beyond repair: They are enjoying the “makebelieve” of being adults, but at the same time, they are trying to come to grips

with the difficult and often mystifying facts of life and death. Children who have had fears of not being loved, of being left alone, come closer to being able to handle their fears as they find opportunities to express them in play. A small giri for example who has been afraid of the dark and wants a light left on in her room at night plays house with some other children. She is the mother and as she puts her “child” to bed and murmurs reassurance that there is nothing to be afraid of, the child is actually reassuring herself.

By the time children start school they are ready for the new world of play that it will open up and they slowly adjust to the social pressures of playing with large groups of other children. They will however only be ready for this new perspective of life if they have had the ground work placed by understanding parents during their first five years. Children in these early school years need some help in planning their activities—both at home as well as at school—so that they will have alternate periods of quiet and strenuous play. Parents who show an interest in a child’s play will reap later benefits of increased cooperation from the child and more readiness in sharing of problems.