"Role Play in the eyes of children"
Role Play in the eyes of children
Published 7.14.10 Cass Lake Times
By Allan Olson
A dictionary defines role play as this: to assume the attitudes, actions, and discourse of (another), esp. in a make-believe situation in an effort to understand a differing point of view or social interaction: This is the meaning defined in a dictionary but it means nothing to my small children.
Sitting outside watching my youngest three children play together I find that they truly define what role play is all about. They tipped over their play slide and proceeded to treat it as a “jungle gym” in my view. Yet, in their little imaginations run wild it’s a “horsey”. It’s a little strange looking for a horse only standing about four feet tall with a platform and a slide. But if that’s what they want to view it as I fine as long as they aren’t fighting. Their role play turns into a family by their definition. They have a mom, dad and daughter. Now I’m not sure who’s who as there are two girls and one boy but their roles are defined by themselves and sometimes change mid-stream.
One child runs outside from the house with two books in her hand shouting to her brother (but I think in this case dad) “I’m coming back.” As she joins the fun again her sibling say’s uncle Brian’s here at our house (he’s not but that doesn’t matter to them). So now the horse/slide has turned into a house. How, when, why? I really don’t know.
I often wonder when we lose our creativity and imagination. If three little kids can get by with just what’s rattling around in their little brains we should be able to as well. I mean how hard is it to put away the electronics? Shouldn’t we be able to just sit back and use our imaginations and put away our electronics? I can guarantee I won’t be the first in that line.
But yet the role play continues on in their fashion. “Three little pigs, three little pigs” my three-year-old daughter Abigail sings in her little voice. They continue in their game as Abigail shouts at her little two-year-old sister Alivia “go to your room, go to bed.” Less than a minute later all three of them are riding around in circles on two little 12 inch bike with training wheels and the youngest is pulling her tricycle as its more fun than riding.
The fun continues this time it involves me. Abigail comes to me sitting on my deck watching them. “I’m ‘gonna’ tie you up,” she said with a length of robe in her hand. The problem for her was I was sitting back against the house and she can’t get around me. “Scoot up,” she said. Being a good obedient father I comply. She get’s distracted by my dirty feed and decides to get the rope wet and wash my feet with the frayed end of the robe.
Marcus my three-year-old son informs me that they are painting my foot rather than washing it. Soon all three are “painting” my foot, toe nails and all. I’m okay with it a little cold water on the bare feet on a hot summer day never hurt anyone.
Nikolai, the seven-year-old has come out from hiding, to join the foray. Now in a matter of seconds, they’ve left me on the deck ‘tied’ up and the horse turned house, turned into a boat and then a ship with guns, soon a sinking ship and they are abandoning it for a life raft. Of course miraculously the ship is in perfect form again and they are all back on board ship until a great white shark jumps onto the ship which then finds them swimming to shore, only to get back on ship a minute later.
So it goes without saying I live in a nuthouse and my kids will attest that I’m the biggest nut of all but my imagination pales in comparison to theirs and if we can somehow hang on to a little of that childhood imagination throughout our lives wouldn’t our lives be that much more fun?
My email is cltimes1@arvig.net if you care to comment on this or other columns/articles in the paper.
Have a great week.
Published 7.14.10 Cass Lake Times
By Allan Olson
A dictionary defines role play as this: to assume the attitudes, actions, and discourse of (another), esp. in a make-believe situation in an effort to understand a differing point of view or social interaction: This is the meaning defined in a dictionary but it means nothing to my small children.
Sitting outside watching my youngest three children play together I find that they truly define what role play is all about. They tipped over their play slide and proceeded to treat it as a “jungle gym” in my view. Yet, in their little imaginations run wild it’s a “horsey”. It’s a little strange looking for a horse only standing about four feet tall with a platform and a slide. But if that’s what they want to view it as I fine as long as they aren’t fighting. Their role play turns into a family by their definition. They have a mom, dad and daughter. Now I’m not sure who’s who as there are two girls and one boy but their roles are defined by themselves and sometimes change mid-stream.
One child runs outside from the house with two books in her hand shouting to her brother (but I think in this case dad) “I’m coming back.” As she joins the fun again her sibling say’s uncle Brian’s here at our house (he’s not but that doesn’t matter to them). So now the horse/slide has turned into a house. How, when, why? I really don’t know.
I often wonder when we lose our creativity and imagination. If three little kids can get by with just what’s rattling around in their little brains we should be able to as well. I mean how hard is it to put away the electronics? Shouldn’t we be able to just sit back and use our imaginations and put away our electronics? I can guarantee I won’t be the first in that line.
But yet the role play continues on in their fashion. “Three little pigs, three little pigs” my three-year-old daughter Abigail sings in her little voice. They continue in their game as Abigail shouts at her little two-year-old sister Alivia “go to your room, go to bed.” Less than a minute later all three of them are riding around in circles on two little 12 inch bike with training wheels and the youngest is pulling her tricycle as its more fun than riding.
The fun continues this time it involves me. Abigail comes to me sitting on my deck watching them. “I’m ‘gonna’ tie you up,” she said with a length of robe in her hand. The problem for her was I was sitting back against the house and she can’t get around me. “Scoot up,” she said. Being a good obedient father I comply. She get’s distracted by my dirty feed and decides to get the rope wet and wash my feet with the frayed end of the robe.
Marcus my three-year-old son informs me that they are painting my foot rather than washing it. Soon all three are “painting” my foot, toe nails and all. I’m okay with it a little cold water on the bare feet on a hot summer day never hurt anyone.
Nikolai, the seven-year-old has come out from hiding, to join the foray. Now in a matter of seconds, they’ve left me on the deck ‘tied’ up and the horse turned house, turned into a boat and then a ship with guns, soon a sinking ship and they are abandoning it for a life raft. Of course miraculously the ship is in perfect form again and they are all back on board ship until a great white shark jumps onto the ship which then finds them swimming to shore, only to get back on ship a minute later.
So it goes without saying I live in a nuthouse and my kids will attest that I’m the biggest nut of all but my imagination pales in comparison to theirs and if we can somehow hang on to a little of that childhood imagination throughout our lives wouldn’t our lives be that much more fun?
My email is cltimes1@arvig.net if you care to comment on this or other columns/articles in the paper.
Have a great week.
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