My Connections to Play

"Play is the work of children. It's very serious stuff." - Bob Keeshan
"Play is the work of childhood." - Jean Piaget
"It should be noted that children at play are not playing about; their games should be seen as heir most serious-minded activity." - Michel de Montaigne
"Play fosters belonging and encourages cooperation." - Stuart Brown

What I started
when I was 5-years-old

One sleeve to go

    It's still in my memory that I was sitting on grass beside the edge of a short bush wall with two of my peers when we were about 5-years-old, at outside playground of the kindergarten where we believed we would not be seen by teachers. Each of us had two sticks that were taken from the brunch of the bush. We were practicing knitting and tried to weave scarves. I can not remember where we got the yam. It could be saved from class actives on that day. I started to demolish the sweater of a peer due to the lack of yarn. She did not let me demolish her sweater at the beginning. I told her that I would make a new sweater for her. I could show her my work. Then she agreed. We worked very hard until teacher called us back to class. We did not finish our work! Many years later when I were in college, once I went to visit my parents, the mother of that girl met me, and she said to me: "did you know, my daughter was so silly. She listed to you, and believe you can make her new sweater. She would let you demolish her sweater!!" We might be taught how to knit in the class. And we could have seen our mothers did at home. Anyway, we were interesting in knitting. After grow up, I make very little knitting. However, I was still interesting. I started a sweater last year in Oct, and now a sleeve left.



Bamboo embroidery hoop




I made them
when I was about 12- to 13-years-old

       
      When I was teenage, I belief when I was about 12 - 13 years-old, a middle school student, I was interesting the embroidery. My mom gave me a bamboo embroidery hoop, and drew the graph on the cloth which cut for making pillowcase. I embroidered hours every day when I was backing home from school with a peer lived next door. I remember I made several of the pillowcases in different colors. The picture was the one I made at that time. I belief my mom thought that I needed play with something. And happened she saw I was interesting the embroidery. She supported me with materials. In 2010, I visit my parents in China. My mother handed me these pillowcases and said "it is yours. You made it", she saved it for almost 40 years! However, I never had a chance to make another after that.
      During my early childhood, I did not have to beat other peers for a better grade of course work. The school did not grade student's course work. The only requirement was the class attendance. I did not have home work. Our county was in the Cultural Revolution, which was during 1966-1976. My parents were very busy that they did not have time staying with me, nor have to assistant me with my school work. I had a lot time to do the thing on my own.
      As for me, play is a process of self-learning, exploring, practice, and working through which children learn things on their own pace.