Red Flower Bloom

I remember playing as a child. One of my first memories was of pretending to drive a car using a pan lid as the steering wheel. I can remember spending hours cutting out paper dolls and playing house with them with my little sister. In the evenings we would gather outside for games of tag and red rover. Play is a way for children to learn about themselves, other people, and the physical world around them. What kindergarten classroom does not have a little play kitchen? My daughter who is a kindergarten teacher said that even in Kindergarten kids need time to play. A kitchen is something that every home has and they can identify with it easily. We call it play, but for children it is their work. It is fascinating to watch a baby discover their hands for the very first time, turning them and moving them and realizing that they can control them and them use them as tools to get what they want.

Children learn through observing, touching, experiencing, and they put every ounce of energy and concentration into playing and learning. To them, playing and learning are one in the same. Play is characterized by self-imposed rules, which are changed at will. This imaginative play helps to develop a child's imagination and is important for healthy development. I watched one of my sons drive a row of matchbox cars one by one across his bed for hours. He grew up to become a mechanical engineer. Another of my sons was so fascinated by fire that I had to keep the matches hidden and did not allow candles in my house. He is now a fireman. A daughter who loved to play dress up has a marketing degree.

I remember going out to play and not coming home until the streetlights came on. Now parents are afraid to let their kids go outside to play unsupervised. Working all day they do not have time to take their kids to the park to play. Kids need time to explore the world, to walk in the woods and look at the flowers. They need to skip rocks on the lake and build mud pies. No television will give them the experiences that these real time opportunities will. Make sure that you children have time to play.

Checklist for parents:

-Create a safe, clean, and inviting play environment for your children inside and out. -Watch them play and learn how your child learns best and what his interests are so that you can help to develop them. -Make sure that they have opportunities to play with other kids so that they will learn social skills and how to interact with them. -Provide time for free play where they create their own entertainment allowing them to use their imagination and to be creative. -Develop their curiosity and fuel a love of learning. -Monitor play to make sure they are safe and step in when conflicts arise that they might need help in resolving. -Provide many opportunities for children to learn and try new things such as music, dance, sports, sewing, crafts, reading, and outdoor activities to name a few.

Parents, learn to praise effort over innate ability.

Jacquelyn Graham is the mother of 8 children and grandmother of 5. She also drives a school bus in her spare time. She is President of Operations at Fiesta Toy Store which carries and