Childhood Play

Where did the traditional childhood play go? In the passage "The End of Play," written by Marie Winn, she talks about the disappearance of the traditional make-believe, jump-rope, and ball bouncing play activity. Instead of the ancient traditional games, they prefer activities in the house. Being a teenager, I can see why kids would choose new styles of play over the old ones. Aged forms of play no longer seem to provide children with enough excitement and stimulation that was inexistent back then.

Mary Winn's description of childhood play is like my little brother who watches television. "So what do you do in your spare time, if you don't play with dolls or play make-believe games or jump rope or do things kids id twenty years ago?" They laughed and answered, "We watch TV." I have a little brother who is seven years old, whose life revolves around a color television.

Peers become important in middle childhood and hav...

Jermyn St Theatre

English: Girl playing jump rope

After school the first thing he does is to glue his face on to the television screen. He lies sideways on the black sofa while his right hand tightly grips the remote control as he watches television. Every time I observe this I scream at him to go outside and actually move his spoiled body. He always responds: "it is stupid and boring." Although tag was my favorite game to play in my childhood, my brother resents participating in any form of physical activity. If not watching television my brother wastes his time playing video games using his entertainment systems. Watching my seven year old brother surf the web amazes me how time has changed dramatically. Old forms of play are not as attracted as what they use to be.

Some kids prefer the old style play but are afraid of getting made fun. Winn states that...