Sunday 15 April 2012

Play: That's what makes me ....3

Yesterday, I was teaching a group of grade 11 and 12 students.  Topic - What is Play?  The first thing I do is pass out a big hunk of play dough.  (Thank you Erin who made it).  The students began to squish their fingers through the dough and I led a conversation on "What did you like to do when you were a child?"  It got me thinking about what I liked to do when I was a kid.

So, here is the "Top 10" list of my childhood memories of play (In no particular order).

10.  There was a 9:30 siren that could be heard around the whole city that told us that it was time to go home.  What a great system!

9. Centennial Park School was right across the street.  I used to spend hours on the swings.  One of my favourite memories at this school ground was going over to practice batting and catching with my dad.  I was a terrible batter, but a great catcher and thrower. My dad never got frustrated with me.  I supposed that is why as an adult playing slow pitch, I was back catcher or pitcher.  I couldn't bat and I couldn't run, but I could really throw a mean ball!  Thank you dad.

8.  Barbies!  Hours and hours and hours of barbies.  I had one with dark brown hair  (Barbie) and one with short red hair (Midge) and of course a Ken!  For my 10th Christmas I received a Barbie motor home for Christmas.  That summer, I spent hours and hours at our cabin taking my barbies on amazing trips across the yard, on cruises (our little red boat tied to the dock) or to exotic beaches in far away lands (the beach down the road).  I still have these two barbies on a shelf in my bedroom)

7.  "Chinese skipping"  I have no idea why it was called this or where the name came from.  This was a simple game you played at recess.  Two kids stand on each end of a large piece of elastic with the elastic at their feet.  They stand  about 4 feet apart or just enough room for a third kid to hop on, off and over the elastic.  You start with the elastic around the ankles, then up to the knees, on to the hips, then the tummy, under the arms and (only for the very few) the neck jump.  I usually made it to the tummy, but Pam was a machine and could get all the way to the neck.  (Isn't it funny what you remember from 40 years ago). One of the most popular was "M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I" Sometimes at home I would use chairs for the legs.


6.  Reading  I spent hours and hours reading.  I used to love reading the Nancy Drew series in particular. I would visit the public library where I wandered up and down the aisles choosing books at random.  I still love wondering bookstores and libraries.  (It's no surprise I have at least one kid who loves to read).







5. Saturday Matinee and the Centennial Swimming Pool
Every Saturday, there was a matinee.  As I recall, for $1.25 you got into the movie and could have a drink and a popcorn.  I recently went back to the theatre in my hometown to watch a movie.  I was surprised to walk in and find that it was not nearly as big as I remember.  I used to think that there were 50 rows to the front, but really there were only about 20.  That made me a little bit sad, not sure why, it just did.  Then there was the local swimming pool.  I remember on Saturday afternoons, the pool being so crowded that every1/2 hour they would blow a whistle that meant we all had to get out so they could make sure that no one was floating at the bottom.

When I think about all those kids who probably P'd in the pool, I feel a bit queasy, but oh my what fun we had!

4. Neighbourhood tag crossed with and hide and seek.  There was a huge group of kids who lived a few blocks over from my house.  We used to play this game where someone would be "it" and the rest of the kids would scatter around the houses.  Then "it" would go looking for kids.  As they went away from the doorway they were standing in, then kids would sneak/run to be "safe".  If the hider got there first, they were safe.  If "it" got there first, they were caught.  I don't why this was so much fun - it just was.

3. Mrs. Beasley: I remember hours and hours of playing house.  I used to love making tents in the living room with chairs to hold up the sheets.  I had a few dolls and teddy bears that were the kids.  No one doll in particular stands out in my memory, except "Mrs. Beasley"  Now, there was a doll!  She had a wonderful blue dress with white polka dots.  She had little round spectacles and when you pulled a string at the back she would say things like "Tell me a story" and "You are my best friend".  She was the doll of "Buffy" on a TV show called Family Affair (now that was riveting television!)  Anyway, I never owned Mrs. Beasley, but oh, how I wanted to.  One of the kids I grew up with had one...Sandra Cooper.  I used to stop by her house on my way home, just to hold Mrs. Beasley for a few minutes.  Two years ago, on Christmas morning, I opened my very own Mrs. Beasley doll.  I was transported back to being a child.  The same feeling joy and surprise came over me that I imagined it would all those years ago.  (Thank you Brock).





2. School  It will come as no big surprise that I played school from as far back as I can remember.  I remember in grade 1 we had the "Dick and Jane" reading book series.  I have a very clear memory of reading to my teddy bears, all lined up on my bed.  I also remember going in the Labbe's basement and setting up chairs so they could be the kids and I would be the teacher.  I would make little activities for everyone to do.  One time, we brought ritz crackers.  As I recall, Lynne Labbe became the priest (very progressive thinking might I add) and we use the ritz crackers for communion. Now on the topic of the Labbe kids, of which there were 7, Rene (the dad) was the best tooth puller in the neighbour hood.  He would use his big pliers and pretend to yank and pull and all of a sudden, out it would pop. I went home with tooth in hand and a quarter.  Thank you Mr. Labbe! I played school every summer and couldn't wait to get back each September.  Mrs. Kovacks, my Kindergarten teacher, scarred me for life with her red pen. (I never use red pen to this day)  Ms. Lewins, my grade 1 teacher, was so tall and beautiful and kind.  Mr. ____(wow, old age sets in) who used to say "Oooooh dis guy here" and put his knuckles on your head (never mine, but I was reasonably scared he would) and of course, my favourite childhood teacher Mrs. Corbeil.  She taught me grade 3.

I truly have always wanted to be a teacher.

1. The Kids:  Here, in no particular order, are the kids who were important in my childhood (up to about age 13):  Tammy Donahue, Patsy McCuaig, Sandra Cooper, Janet Soloski, Janet Huard, Pam Harper, Brian/Larry/Lynne/Dana Labbe, Susan Bosear, Carmy Kovaks, Sandra Mantach, Darlene Singer, Karen Piper and Jackie and Ken Hartman. (An assortment of boys that I went through elementary school with include: Dennis, Glenn, Alan, Stanley, Jimmy and Craig).

Sharing all these wonderful "playful" memories, that's what makes me smile!

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