Personal Play Philosophy

By Rayline Anderson

Twenty years ago I entered the Early Childhood Field with very little concrete
knowledge of ECE, all I knew was that I loved children and felt the most at home when I
was doing something that involved children. I had been babysitting since I was 12 years
old and anytime someone with a baby came to my familys home, I was enamored with
them. When I was in high school I took an ECE class as an elective. We had a childcare
center on site and we were able to do field work in the class. Everything just made sense
to me. It felt right. When I started at the local junior college I took basic general
education classes and one Human Development class, that was it, that was when I knew.
From that point on, I was an Early Childhood Major and I was hooked.
When I think about my personal philosophy on play, I think that it is
always changing. Every time I learn something new, I change my opinion of things. I
know that play helps with problem solving, creativity and confidence, and will help us
later as we enter adult hood with all of those areas and more. Play is such a multifaceted
area of development that I cannot seem to make myself stick to just one thought. I
become very fickle and indecisive with my views. At this time, I believe that play is the
best medicine for everything.
From the very beginning I knew that play was an integral part of a childs
development, however it was just in recent years that I have seen it first hand. Play can
really tell a story of a childs emotional state. Play can help them work through situations
in their family life and express emotions that they may be feeling in a more positive way.
For instance, I have a child in my program that has had a lot of family trauma. His dad
beat his mom and there has always been a lot of yelling in his house. The police have
come to his home multiple times and now that his dad is in prison for what he did to the

mom, the childs play has revolved around cops and a lot of yelling. He can often be
found with a magnetic block that he uses as a cell phone and he resides in the top of the
play structure. You can usually hear him from any where in the yard. This is my house!
Im on the phone! Im gonna call the cops! You shouldnt drink alcohol! These are his
typical phrases. When I approach him and try to talk to him, everything that he says to
me, he yells at me. We talk about calm voices and that police are good people. We talk
about how you shouldnt drink alcohol and that it is only for adults. There is a lot of talk
about all the things that he is processing in his play. He often becomes so wrapped up in
his play that he is unaware of the other children that want to play with him.
This little boy has seen more in his short 2 years of life than most of us have or
ever will. I can only imagine the images that play out in his head, of watching his mom
be beaten, seeing the ambulance take her away and seeing the police take his dad. There
has been multiple episodes of his grandfather yelling at his dad about not drinking and
police were called out to the house. He has so much to work through and process, it
makes my heart hurt. This is a child who could truly benefit from play therapy.
When I think about all of the benefits of play and my personal philosophy, I feel
very strong about the needs of play for children to work through lifes challenges and
excitement. Until I met this little boy, I knew that play was important for learning and
growing, but since he has entered my life, I see that play is how we all need to work
through life. Not just children but adults as well. Play is great therapy. The opposite of
play is not work. Play and work are mutually supportive, and the quality that work and
play have in common is creativity. (Stuart Brown, 2009, p. 127) One of the issues that I
am currently dealing with in my life is the death of my father. In all of the stress and strife

I have forgotten to take the time to play. I have made a few attempts to have fun, took my
daughter to the movies, got my nails done, read a book, but I am not truly present in those
moments. I am always thinking about all of the work I have to do, all of the boxes that
still need to be unpacked and what a mess the house is. I have let it consume me and it
needs to stop. I need to remember how to play.
According to the National Institute, play is the gateway to vitality. By its nature
it is uniquely and intrinsically rewarding. It generates optimism, seeks out novelty, makes
perseverance fun, leads to mastery, gives the immune system a bounce, fosters empathy
and promotes a sense of belonging and community. Each of these play byproducts are
indices of personal health, and their shortage predicts impending health problems and
personal fragility. (The Importance of Play for Adults, 2015) When you read all the
benefits of play for your health, you have to wonder why more people dont do it. It
keeps you healthy and happy. This is something that I need to remember and start to do
again.
When I think about my ever-changing philosophy, I think that it has reinforced
my self-knowledge about play by adding to what I already knew and expanding on my
personal knowledge. After meeting this child and going through all that I have gone
through recently it makes me want to further evaluate my goals for my education. I have
always had an interest in special needs, ABA therapy and Autism, but after working with
this child I see the importance of play therapy and I want to know how to help him. Even
though I know that I cannot help him right now, maybe I could make myself better
prepared for the next time I meet a friend like him. I feel so powerless when he has his
outbursts and I often feel as though I am making the problem worse. If I knew more, I

could do more. That goes for adult too. I would love to help adults learn how to play and
have fun. I would love to be able to educate adults on the emotional and health benefits of
digging in the mud. That to me is pure joy. If I knew more, I would be able to help myself
as well. That is the goal, help myself, go out and play.

Bibliography
Stuart Brown, M. (2009). Play. New York: The Penguin Group.
The Importance of Play for Adults. (2015). Retrieved from First things
First.