Let’s Play!: “You be the Granny!”

Stepping out of a normal routine, finding novelty, being open to serendipity, enjoying the unexpected, embracing a little risk, and finding pleasure in the heightened vividness of life. These are all qualities of a state of play.”

― Stuart Brown, Play

This week, I was reminded of the importance of play.  Play is essential for learning, keeping motivated, imaginative problem solving, and emotional regulation. Play needs to be the foundation of education, not only in early childhood, but throughout school – whether elementary, middle school, high school or beyond.  Play will help us think outside the box, work collaboratively with others, and spark new ways of doing ordinary things. I was given these gentle reminders several sweet and assertive Kindergarten girls during recess time one afternoon. 

Reed approached me first.  As I sat on a bench in the sunshine, she stood boldly in front of me with her hands on her hips, “Mrs. Emery, You be the Granny!” She proclaimed loudly.

I looked at her and wrinkled my nose when she said, “Granny.”  I implored, “Reed, I don’t want to be the Granny.”

Reed was not deterred.  She did not skip a beat. “Sally and I are the children. We are stealing your cookies,” she said as she placed three rocks on the nearby picnic table. “You chase us, but slowly.”

“Reed, I continued to plead,”  I don’t want to be the Granny.

Reed turned grabbed a nearby play broom and placed it in. my hands, “This is your cane. Come on!” she commanded.

Somehow, I acquiesced, grabbed the cane, and followed Reed and Sally.

“Walk like this,” Reed shouted, bending over with her hand on her hip, wobbling.

“Reed,”  I said, “I have to dispel you of that myth.”

“What?” Reed said, scrunching up her face.

I smiled, “Reed, not all old people walk with a cane all bent over. I’m old, and I don’t walk with a cane.”

“You’re the Granny and this Granny has a cane,” Reed explained.

I suddenly realized that Reed wasn’t naming me as the Granny because I was old.  She was naming me as the Granny as an invitation to play. I tried my best to get into character.  I ran slowly after a growing group of children trying to get my cookies back.  After fifteen minutes, I was exhausted.  I sat on the top of the climbing structure breathing heavily.  I looked up at Reed and said, “Reed, I don’t want to be Granny anymore.  Can I be a child?”

“Okay,” Reed replied, “Close the door behind you.”

I pretended to close the door behind me.  Then Reed closed the door in front of me.

“Good.  Now you are locked in your room forever.”

“Reed,”  I whined, “I don’t….”

Reed interrupted, “Don’t worry.  There is a hair clip in your hair.  You can use it to pick the lock when I have left.”

I stood in awe of such pure playful genius.  I kept thinking about how I could use this type of pretend play to further literacy skills.  Could I write a script with the children that they could they act out? I could, but I think it would totally ruin the spontaneity of play.  Maybe I should just let children have more opportunities to play and then create some opportunities for them to express what their play was about.  Maybe they just need to keep being five and play together and revise their play as they go along.

I sat in the “locked room” for a little while to gain more energy.  Soon, I was surrounded by the several girls who now had taken on granny personas.  They were fearsome and shouting and pointing brooms at me.  I wondered for a moment if that’s how the children experienced adults.  Then I realized again that we were in a play.  I was the child, and they were the villainous grannies.  Villains are always shouting and displaying their mighty strength.  The children had learned a lot in their five years on the planet. Through story, they have developed a concept of the world as dangerous, but also that they can have mastery over those dangers.  The stories they have heard are enacted on the playground to further their feelings of courage and competence. As Bruno Bettelheim had realized in Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales, “Since the fairy tale promises the type of triumph the child wishes for, it is psychologically convincing as no “realistic” tale can be. And because it pledges that the kingdom will be his, the child is willing to believe the rest of what the fairy story teaches: that one must leave home to find one’s kingdom; that it cannot be gained immediately; that risks must be taken, trials submitted to; that it cannot be done all by oneself, but that one needs helpers; and that to secure their aid, one must meet some of their demands.”

As I sat surrounded by all the grannies, one granny came forward and yelled over me.  I looked up at her and said, “Lindsay, you are such a sweet and kind girl.  Why are you yelling at me?”

Lindsay looked down at me, stepped to her right and bent closer.  She whispered, “I’m pretending.”

I laughed, “Yes, of course you are!”  I got into character again and became a child until it was time to line up.  I realized that the children were experts in pretending, and I was rusty.  I kept going in and out of character.  I was still outside their magic play circle, but they had invited me in, and I was determined to recall my inner playfulness.  I joined them for a time. Then I’d hop out again.  It was interesting to me how pure and deep this game of pretending is for children, and I mourned a little that I had lost some of their playful magic.

The next day, I happened to see Reed’s mother who told me that Reed came home exuberant.  The first thing she said to her mom was, “Mommy,  Mrs. Emery was the Granny!  She played with us!”  It was at that moment I was reminded of the importance of not only of child’s play, but also of adults playing with children, of stepping into their world, and sharing their experiences.  If adults made a concerted effort to play regularly, I think they would learn a lot about children’s emotional lives. I plan to step into the play circle many times this year, even if it means I must be the Granny!