How Play Creates Adults

Growing up, my father’s job caused us to move about every two or three years. I was constantly the “new girl,” and knew that all of my friends were temporary. They might promise to stay in touch, but no one ever does. My best friends were the only things that were constant in my life: my siblings, my books, and my imagination. And even my siblings we not always fun to play with; my older brother always wanted to prove himself. For me, play was a way for me to convince myself that I was strong and I could support myself. Whether I was surviving in the wilderness, fighting monsters ten feet tall, or transforming into wolves, horses, or hawks, I was powerful and free. Constantly moving around, on top of being picked on by my brother, my life as a kid was completely out of my control. Play, whether in books, video games, or the realm of imagination, was my way of establishing control and stability.

Books were my constant companion growing up. I was never without one, and entering the worlds contained within, and “living and playing” in those worlds, was my favorite past time. In them, I became someone else, someone better. From them, I learned history, chivalry, horror, and what is important. They were my friends, my escape, my strength,and my teachers. My books were a stable and unchanging part of my growing up life, and my best playmates.

Play also gave me a way to feel strong and powerful. When playing with my siblings or my school friends, I was always the one in charge. I was the one that told the stories and would decide what was “allowed” or not. I felt very grown up. As we discussed in class, during play we would break “rules” of the real world and play with magic, secret hideouts, and secret codes, yet at the same time there were rules within our world of play, and I was in charge of those rules. That has actually stayed with me as I grew up. I love watching movies and shows, but in order for me to be able to really get into them enough to mentally “play’ with them, they have to be believable and follow the rules of the world they are in. I can suspend my disbelief, but only if what is going on is logical in it’s own world. Sorry, Battle of the Five Armies, but your last battle scene was poorly done.

Play is necessary for children, in their growth of imagination, ability to interact with others, and developement of who they are. Playing at the end of class made me realize how that play allowed us to make friends more easily, talk more easily, and naturally and easily interact with others we know very little. How we play as children influences our futures. I played primarily with my imagination, and I grew up to tell stories, lead others, and go into film. My brother played with logos, blocks, and video games, and he grew up to be very analytical and builds complex computer programs. We are who we are because of how we played.