I've used this post to help in the development of an assignment in my 'Psychology of Play' class at Full Sail University. I'm using photos to show how my play has evolved, yet stayed the same through my life and I expect life to continue.
My son, Ember playing with the computer as a baby at grandma's house.
How this photo relates to me playing as a child:
I've always been crazy inquisitive (Explorer). I was that weird kid that actually liked doing their homework. From a young age, I've been very interested in technology, trying to figure out how things work, and learning absolutely everything I can. This was very voluntary for me with intense inherent attraction. I would lose all track of time (freedom form time) and never want to leave my "work" (continuation desire).
Kentucky Changers campers working on a roof this last summer.
How this photo relates to me playing as a child:
I've ALWAYS liked to build things (artist/Creator and inherent attraction). As a kid, my dad's theory was if your big enough to pick up a tool, your old enough to start using it. I can remember helping him build stuff and work on houses as young as age 3.
My daughter Anara with my son Cameron
How this photo relates to me playing as a child:
I always loved taking care of younger children as a kid (director, interpersonal communication). As I got older, I spent a great deal of time babysitting. As a small child when I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always, "A mommy."
My daughter Anara with my son Cameron
How this photo relates to me playing as a child:
I always loved taking care of younger children as a kid (director, interpersonal communication). As I got older, I spent a great deal of time babysitting. As a small child when I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always, "A mommy."
My son, Ember climbing a slide.
How this photo relates to me playing as a child:
I really liked to be outside (naturalist Intelligence) trying to manipulate myself (bodily-kinesthetic intelligence) and the environment to do what I wanted and to see how I could use what was around me to do what I needed/wanted it to do (visual-spatial intelligence, diminished consciousness of self and artist/creator).
Cameron pretends to be Dr. Who fixing something with his sonic screwdriver.
How this photo relates to me playing as a child:
I was constantly pretending (apparently purposeless, voluntary, improvisational potential, artist/creator). I was always in charge of my pretend playmates (director, interpersonal intelligence) and that very often included me fixing or creating something.
Peyton leads the younger kids through the snow.
How this photo relates to me playing as a child:
I moved all over as a kid (linguistic intelligence). Providing me with constant new environments to explore. I can never remember being sad when I was told I would be moving again (voluntary). I could never get enough of being in a new place, seeing something I'd never seen before, or getting stories form people I'd never met before (explorer, inherent attraction, continuation desire, interpersonal intelligence). I would just lose all track of time and the sun would go down before I even realized I'd missed lunch (freedom from time).
Ember showing Peyton a very cool pop up book.
How this photo relates to me playing as a child and me now:
I loved to investigate and share my knowledge (explorer, director, voluntary, inherent attraction, interpersonal intelligence).
Sania vaccuming and Ember pretending to vacuum.
How this photo relates to me playing as a child and me now:
I've always loved making things better. By cleaning, decorating, helping people or changing an area in someway (artist/creator, continuation desire, inherent attraction, voluntary, naturalist intelligence.
This is me now:
How lucky am I to almost always have a house full of my kids' friends and my students (director, apparently purposeless) to have nerf wars with (apparently purposeless)? Any idea how goofy a grown woman looks running after teenagers holding a yellow and orange gun (diminished consciousness of self) for hours at a time (freedom from time, continuation desire)?
My husband and I recently went on a weekend get away to Atlanta.
This is me now:
I still love to explore, and I don't even have to pack up my house to get go new places like I did as a kid (joker).
This is me now:
I am constantly teaching (director) AND learning (explorer). I homeschool my 4 children. I teach bible studies, tutor, and council and teach clients at a crisis pregnancy center (interpersonal intelligence). I am also a student at Full Sail. You cannot teach or be a student without learning.
This is me now:
Me and my son Ember about a year ago. I have 4 children and it is one of my favorite parts about me. We also seen to have extra children with us and often living with us (like one is now). I've always wanted to be mommy. In almost all forms of play as a child, I included this pretend aspect of me. If I was building, I would pretend my child was building with me like I did with my dad. If I was out side, I very often had a doll with me or a pretend baby. I would even pretend my animals were my kids. Most of my friends growing up saw parenthood as a side note in a chapter of their future lives, but I saw it as what my book was all about. We constantly play.
Future me:
I cannot imagine myself without a playful spirit in the future. This is photo taken just after my mother-in-law jumped into a shopping cart (improvisational potential, apparently purposeless, diminished consciousness of self, voluntary, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, visual-spatial intelligence) with Cameron to get a smile out of him (joker). My mother-in-law is my most impactful role model. She is an amazing woman and I count her as a truly amazing blessing from God.
Decorated (artist/creator) Kentucky Changers apron
Future me:
My husband and I plan to take our whole family on summer missions with Kentucky Changers (explorer, director, artist/creator, voluntary) when our youngest are just a little bit older. Changers is a Christian summer camp that moves from town to town in Kentucky. They go into impoverished areas and fix homes at no cost to them home owners.
A truck older than I am going down a dirt road in Brazil this summer.
Future me:
We also believe we will go on missions (explorer, voluntary) wherever God decides to call us (improvisational potential) and explore a road less traveled working with people we have yet to meet (interpersonal intelligence).
