Play, Play, and Play Some More!
Recently I spent an afternoon watching a gregarious two-year-old enjoy being. He was asleep when I arrived, so it was quite a surprise to see me when he awoke. He had not seen me in several months. After greeting me with a grimace, he went from room to room looking for his parents. Each empty room brought more urgency and sadness. Of course I knew I could not console him immediately, so we slowly negotiated.
It began with tears and a few screams, followed by running from room to room once again. Then I showed him a picture of the two of us taken last Christmas. Hmmm… I think we may be getting somewhere. He recognized himself and me. Maybe I was ok after all. 
We proceeded to the kitchen and bonded at the table over some grapes and milk, taking turns dipping the grapes in the milk. Yes, it sounds gross, but it was working for me. After cleaning up the mess we made, I asked him if he would like to play with blocks or one of the games in the playroom. Neither. He wanted to run, so we ran and ran and ran until he changed the game to rolling, so we rolled.
His looks and words of “No” turned to laughter and joy. What a great afternoon! We were both pooped! One of us could sleep while the other had other obligations.
When is the last time you played? Play allows us to experience that joy that can sometimes be lost as our lives are filled with work and responsibilities. It is a way to be in community with children. Their work is play, and what better way to build relationship with children than to enter their world?
Try it. You may be sore for days, but it is so worth it!
Resources:
Godly Play by Jerome W. Berryman
Today I Feel Silly by Jamie Lee Curtis
101 Great Games for Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers by Jolene Roehlkepartain
