Recently we have been considering what it looks like to simply embrace the truth that play is everywhere after listening to Ronan Healy in a Design Thinking 101 podcast on creating together.
Play is in the car, pointing out many diggers pass by (well at least that’s what my son likes to do). Play is in the kitchen, making pancakes with bananas for the first time with no recipe book. Play is in the dark corridor, hopping around toys left on the floor, Play is by the lake, throwing rocks into the water and seeing how many times they jump. Play is … Play is everywhere. Play is not confined by a playground, play is not at a prescribed time, play does not need to have fixed parts or prescribed rules. We believe all children sholuld be able to play and perhaps this is how, recognising play is everywhere and looking for ways to enhance the play we have around us. Simply, freely and playfully 🙂
I recently saw my son playing in dirt (yes dirt), every day when he went out to play, he would choose to play in dirt. To enhance his play, we put a heap of dirt under the shade of the veranda of our house so he could play longer without getting too hot. When a friend came to play, we noticed they had taken the spoons they we thought they should have been using for eating and instead were using them to dig. So we gave them free reign to and also gave him some gardening tools to play with. He loves to use sticks when playing, so we have extended the play to exploring the neighborhood and collecting different sticks that he can use in the sand. Sometimes he brings his duplo digger 🙂 This is just one little example of how the simplest can become a great opportunity for play.
How can you play today? Yes you? Play is doing something we are intrinsically motivated to do, something that can often give us joy. Maybe joy can be your starting point, what can you joyfully explore or experiment with today? Be brave, have fun and create play because it is everywhere around you.
Play is everywhere
Marie Williams
Dream Networks CEO and founder
