Hello, SLP!
I came across this poignant message and had to share it with you.
It makes me think of my past therapy-kids. Some children knew how to play but many didn’t. They had no sense of venturing beyond the walls of familiarity, or, maybe they didn’t know how. ‘Play’ is a good thing, and an influential part of communication.
Following is a blog-perspective of Vince Gowman (vincegowman.com). You might also enjoy his book, Let the Fire Burn; Nurturing the Creative Spirit of Children.
Playing with Perspective – Seeing Life Through the Eyes of a Child
“When children pretend, they’re using their imaginations to move beyond the bounds of reality. A stick can be a magic wand. A sock can be a puppet. A small child can be a superhero.” ~ Fred Rogers
Play is not just something we do; it is a perspective from which to see life. It is a worldview that invites endless possibilities to creatively engage people, objects and places.
I was hiking up a mountain a few weeks back and came across a tree that was lying on its side, tilted downwards, paralleling the steepness of the trail. One might look at this object and see only a tree that’s fallen on its side. What I immediately saw was aslide that was inviting me to play! And, of course I quickly proceeded to slide down it!
“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” ~ Henry David Thoreau
When we play with perspective a tree becomes a slide, a field becomes a dance floor, a stranger becomes a friend. Our perception is not limited to seeing things from the status quo. We go beyond that, using the boundless inventiveness of our imagination.
Playing with perspective expands a worldview that transcends the limits of everyday reality, and pushes the edges or parameters that define the playground of life.
We open-up a world of possibilities not only for us, but for our children. We are more able to accept the creative offerings from children that lie outside the box, and play along by showing genuine interest and co-creating with them. And we show greater capacity tospontaneously invite children to play by transforming regular objects into magical toys, making adventures out of trees and trails, and building forts out of furniture. To each other, you more freely and frequently say two of my favorite magical words:Hey let’s!
“You see things and say ‘Why?’, but I dream things that never were and I say ‘Why not?’” ~ George Bernard Shaw
Homeplay: As you proceed throughout your week, see how many objects and places you can transform into toys, games and adventures, and how many ways you can spontaneously invite others to play. I also encourage you to notice where children are creating beyond the bounds of “reality” and how well you play along.
Enjoy playing with perspective, and seeing life through the eyes of a child.
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” ~ Marcel Proust
by Vince Gowman
Have a wonderful week! Squeeze in some play along the way!
Thank you for all you do,
Char
P.S. Next week is the fourth Tuesday of the month and it’s “Research Review + Application + Opinion.” I’ve got a good one lined up for you. See you next week!
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