The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1918-12-27
CANNING CLUB AND HOME DEMONSTRATION
DEPARTMENT
Edited by Caroline Moorhead, Home Demonstration
Agent.

children's play is one of the familiar
/ sights whose real meaning and value
many adults do not understand.
AS far back as the Greeks we find
an interest in the meaning and val
ue of play Plato felt that through
games youths would learn to obey.
Early education should partaRe OF
and gain a training in citizenship
Aristalte suggested that all early edu
cation should partake of the nature
of play About one hundred years
ago, a great educator, Frederick Froe
bel, studied this simple subject in a
scientific manner, and decided that
it would be economical to base a sys,
tenn of education en- the instinct Of
! play; so he founded the kindergarten
place where children get the funda-
mentals Of education through work
that partakes of the nature Of play
He was genius, in that he was able
to systematic play, without robbing
it of any of its JOY or spontanei1y
In recent years psychologists nave
had much light thrown on childrens
play by studying the play Of animals.
They found that low in the scale Of
life among the simple celled animals
there is no play life. The animal is
born fully equipped for all Of the d1l
ties of its future life. Ascending in
the scale it was observed that there
is a period Of infancy which length
ems as the animal need a period Of
preparation for adult life All ami
mails having this period of infancy il
duIge in activities that are playful;
and an interesting fact is that these
activities are Of a nature which win
equip them for their life work the
mother cat runs with her fitrens;
tumbles them over and over. induc-
ing them to tussle with her The
mother fox brings home prey to her
young. manned but with life enough
left in them to incite the young foxes
to fight. The mother bird in a play
full way teaches her young to fly.
Other plays Of animals show pure
joy in rythmical activity or in acquir-
ing skill
When we reach the human being
we find the longest period of infancy
and childhood, and many authorities
say that childhood exists for the
purpose Of play. The child does
not play because he is young but
nature provides the years Of child
hood in order that he may play. It is
the way in which he practices his fee
Bile powers, Tearing his own powers
and weaknesses, and gaining valuable
experience all the while, reproducing
ing the adult life around him. The
same characteristics which makes a
child play successfully are needed in
adult life to make successful work.
er. So We see that play is natural
preparation for work.
Play has many values One. the
physical. II strengthens the muscles
increases the circulation and breath
ing capacity Of the lungs and aids
in developing the whole body. Men
tally it quickens the power Of obser-
walton, makes one alert, develops
memory and imagination, and organi
zed games cultivates judgment and
reason. Games have a decided val
ne They teach submission to law
a sense of responsibility, a feeling OF
loyalty to the group, forgetfulness
of self, fairness, courtesy, self-con'
troll, self-reliance and to bear defeat
Every normal child the world over
whether of savage or civilized races
plays. II a child does not love to
play it is because of some physical
or mental deficiency. Let US as
adults enter alphabetically into
children's play, for it will not only
aid to their happiness but our own
lives will thereby be enriched.
The farmers in and around Lowell