My Connections to Play

Growing up I was 1 out of 4 children, so we always played with things that let me and my siblings do together. For some reason, I remember always playing doctor with my siblings and using tic-tac mints as medication! I know it sounds funny, but it just showed how imaginative we were when we role played. My parents always supported us playing when we were children, but they always supported group play, if I was doing something it always had to involve my siblings. Through play I learned to be very close with my siblings and to this day we are inseparable. My parents helped us learn through play even though at such a young age we did not notice that we were learning. As a substitute teacher, I am always in the preschool classrooms and I notice that children are still role playing, and they take it so seriously. I love to see and now to learn that play is essential in the learning process!
Play is very different today than in the past. When I was growing up, we played with toys, and played outside, a very simple life. Now a days, children are not playing outside as much, because of various reasons. The toy to have now is technology. I just feel that the lifestyles between my upbringing and this generations upbringing are different and the expectations that children have are much greater.