Playtime!

How's that for a getup? Ahhhh, to be five again...

We are lucky to have kids who are good at playing. As a teacher, I see more and more children who have no idea how to play because they are rarely given the opportunity or encouragement to play. Often, they are a product of too much TV and waaaaay too much time spent on video games. In a Kindergarten classroom in September, these kids are easy to spot: they're either sitting by themselves wondering where to begin or how to join in, or they're in a yelling match at the sand table because they've never had to share anything in their lives.

I don't want to sound all sanctimonious, but lately we've hardly had the TV on at all for the kids. Really, they'd much rather be playing (I can tell that they'd rather play because when they do watch tv they get bored and harangue-y all over me and each other). Now that the weather is nice we stay at the playground nearly everyday afterschool. At home, dressup and the accompanying dramatic play is a favourite pastime. Sports are a biggie at our house, too: hockey, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, golf...and less structured but just as active pursuits like skipping, riding bikes, and dancing with the music on really loud (sorry, neighbours). There are board games and card games; right now we are really working on the idea that winning isn't really winning if you cheat. There are puzzles, and dancing, and making up plays, and Lego, and .... the list goes on. There are gazillion things to do rather than plunking the kids in front of the tv.

Play doesn't have to mean enrolling in expensive programs or buying top-of-the-line toys. One of Amy's favourite things to do as a toddler was to play with a coffee can and a bunch of coloured clothespegs. She could put the clothespegs around the edge of the can, we cut a small X in the top of the plastic lid that she could push the pegs through and of course, there's the most fun: shaking the can full of pegs! It was a dirt cheap toy, and it kept her entertained long enough for me to get dinner ready.

Sure, it's a little more work for me sometimes when Trevor and Amy need me to mediate a conflict or set up some equipment. I am hoping, though, that in the long run it will pay off to have kids who are reasonably socially capable and are motivated to be active and engaged in life, rather than isolated, dull and firmly planted on the couch.