Play, again

Funny how some topics just seem to pop up over and over. I don't know if I'm just more alert to a topic and notice the stories, or if there is some secret topic generating meeting that news organizations attend to get ideas. I remember hearing once about the "color meetings" where the next season's color palette was discussed and decided (actually I think it was done a few years in advance.) So, when everyone comes out with "eggplant" or "plum" or "seafoam" at the same time, it was really planned years ahead.

Anyway, the topic of recent interest has been play. I think I ruminated on this a few months ago, based on a radio program I had heard while traveling to my nephew's wedding. Now, there is a NYTimes magazine article on the topic. The article is part of the "education issue" of the magazine and focuses on research showing the value of play for children learning self control and self regulation.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/magazine/27tools-t.html?ref=magazine&pagewanted=print

Apparently, engaging in role playing as a young child helps the brain to learn how to self regulate. If you are being a mommy, then you have to act like a mommy. You have to control your behaviors. One interesting highlight, they asked kids (I think they were about 4) to stand still for as long as they could. Most kids couldn't make it for a minute. Then they asked the kids to pretend that they were guards and that they had to stand at attention. While role playing, kids could stand for 4 minutes.

Part of the conclusions are that preschools and kindergartens have become too academically focused and should include more time for play. They do point out, however, that kids today may need some guidance in how to engage in imaginative play. As a kid I played a lot of make believe. My sisters and I had whole other personalities that we adopted (I was Leslie, because I really liked that name!) We played school, house, church, farm, just about any scenario.