Friday, August 22, 2008

Let them play!

I recently came across a really cute blog post that made me think about the way we see the adventures of children. Kids can be entertained with some of the most mundane objects: a pencil, crumbs on the table, muddy puddles, fuzzy bugs. It really takes only a tiny spark to ignite a practically unquenchable eruption of creativity. It's usually only interupted by some cranky, old, best-interest-at-heart adult. (Boooo!)

Children learn through play. Of course, sometimes their play can be harmful, and we must instruct them against harm (physical, emotional, and spiritual). But sometimes, if it's not harmful, it's a good idea to just sit and observe them being what they are supposed to be: explorers of life and all it has to offer.

Here's a great little byte about the developmental importance of play. The beginning contains a McDonald's commercial (a really, super cute one). I really like the statement the hostess made that "[a] good toy is 10% toy and 90% child."



2 comments:

Bella Sinclair said...

Oh, thank you! I'm so honored to be included in your post. This was a marvelous message, and one I needed. Primarily because of the language barrier here in Tokyo, I don't have my two kids enrolled in a lot of after school activities. But recently, a friend from New York emailed me and described all the tons of extra-curricular classes her daughter is taking and it made me feel guilty that my kids weren't getting a lot of stimulation or exposure. Wonderful, wonderful message. Thanks!

Good luck with your studies, and thanks so much for your visit and kind comment!

Retinna Bell said...

Awe...I'm flattered that you liked it so much.