healthy playful living
  • Home
  • About
  • Links & Resources
  • Contact
  • Available Workshops
  • Handouts

why play? rolling down hills

1/23/2015

0 Comments

 
When I was doing my research on play, I read a lot of interesting information. If you ever get the chance, do a google search on the importance of play in early childhood. It is astounding to me how “they” (meaning the people in charge of education in our country) continue to ignore the research and push down academics to younger and younger children. However, if I get on THAT soapbox, I’ll be there a while, lol. So instead, let’s focus on play!

Dr. Bruce Perry says “Play takes many forms, but the heart of all play is pleasure. If it isn't fun, it isn't play”. Think back to yesterday’s exercise of remembering a childhood play memory. Did it bring a smile to your face? Play is fun! Now think about a fun time you had as an adult. For me, one that came immediately to my mind was rolling down a hill with the kids at a park here in town. It is just a tiny incline, but a few years ago when I took the kids there, I asked them if any of them had ever rolled down a hill. None of them had, so of course, we had to do it. I plopped myself down on the ground and showed them how it was done, lol. Now every time we go to that park, we have to roll down that hill. It is my hope that seeing me let loose and have fun rolling down hills will be a memory that sticks with these kids and they know that it is okay to play and be silly, even when you are a “grown-up”.

What was the last silly thing you did? 

0 Comments

why play? considering your childhood

1/22/2015

0 Comments

 
I first became interested in the importance of play about 5 ½ years ago. I was at a child care conference in Tahlequah and the keynote speaker talked about play and especially how children are not getting enough outside time. Then I attended a breakout session given by Dr. Barbara Sorrels and she shared about a book called Play: How it shapes the brain, opens the imagination, and invigorates the soul by Dr. Stuart Brown. At the time, I was looking for a topic to do my capstone paper for my last semester at the University of Oklahoma and that day it hit me, I could study play! What I learned from my research is astounding! Play helps children learn problem-solving and social skills, encourage creativity, and develops them both physically and mentally. What more reasons could we need to make sure that we allow children the ability to play?

Think back for a moment to your own childhood. Bring to mind your most prominent play memory. For me, that memory is a day that my brother and sister and I spent the entire day playing wagon train. We used the porch swing on our porch as our wagon and we literally spent the entire day outside playing out various scenarios. Now think about that.  We spent the entire day outside, how many children are able to do that today? We used our imaginations, turning the porch swing into our wagon. And did I mention, we played this all day long? We had time. Lots of open-ended time.

Today, spend a little time thinking about your play experiences as a child. Now write it down. Consider it. Ponder it. What do you discover? 

0 Comments

Week 1:    "my part" check-in

1/7/2015

0 Comments

 
So here we are on the 7th day of 2015 already! Have you started writing 2015 on everything yet? Me neither lol.

Today I want to review how I’m doing on “my part” of this year. For a reminder, here’s my list:

1.      Have a quiet time every day: including prayer journal, reading my bible, a devotional, and my First Place 4 Health bible study.

2.      Do some type of exercise each day.

3.      Track my food intake.

4.      Write a blog post each day and promote my blog in some way.

5.      Plan out my day.

6.      Spend 15 minutes organizing something.

7.      No computer games until my list is done!

 

To be perfectly honest, I am not doing that great so far. I have missed days doing all of the items on my list, some more than others. But since another thing I am determined to do this year is be nicer to myself, I am not going to beat myself up about it. Change doesn’t happen overnight. It is hard. But getting discouraged because I am not “perfect” is not going to be beneficial to myself or the Lord. Carole Lewis has a saying “Do the next right thing” and that is my mantra for this year. So I mess up? Then take a deep breath and keep trying.

How has your first week of the New Year gone? Did you set goals or make resolutions? 

0 Comments

    Author

    My passion is to share the importance of playing, and not just as a child, but as an adult also. It is so important to take the time to play and be active. Our children are losing that.
    Learn more about me,

    Categories

    All
    New Blog
    Welcome

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2018
    July 2018
    January 2018
    July 2017
    December 2016
    February 2016
    October 2015
    July 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.