A nice lady at the library the other day told me about a new thing at Cornell University called "anarchy play" for kids. I should probably put the word new in quotes, because it doesn't sound like a very new idea to me. Cornell (and some other agencies) has come up with a playground to encourage kids to, well, just play.
The exact description: Part wild garden, part adventure playground, this space is a totally open-ended area filled with loose parts, natural materials, tools, artstuff, kids and trained playworkers.
My my, does that sound familiar. Except for the fact that Cubby is the only kid (so far) and I am the only "playworker" (an oxymoron if ever there was one), that neatly sums up Blackrock, don't you think?
So if I were to apply this terminology to our life, I guess that means that we exist in a state of constant anarchy. * That explains a lot.
* Except not really, since Merriam-Webster defines anarchy as "a state of disorder due to absence or non-recognition of authority." I don't think anyone would say there was a lack of authority around here. Maybe the non-recognition part is appropriate occasionally, though.
8 comments:
I love reading the posts about Cubby - since ours is just a few months younger, we can relate! It's nice to know that it's not just our boy... :)
Isn't that just, you know, play? Freakin' eggheads.
If there was ever a word to send chills of horror up and down my spine, it is "playworker."
If there was ever a word to send chills of horror up and down my spine, it is "playworker."
Amen Drew !
Bring back real play like it is some new idea they just now thought of....lordee.
I guess maybe THEY never got to play like that, being that they are young whipper snappers....I guess they really have never heard of it.
Sad.
Beth
And not just playworkers. Trained playworkers. Those are double-plus good.
I had yards, and friends, and mud, and toys, and balls--and played outside so very hard while a kid. It was glorious. My mother and the other mothers in the neighborhood were the "playworkers."
Who knew we were so far ahead of our time?!? Someone should have studied us, I guess...
Wow.
Why do I have visions of George Orwell in my head?
In the future, will we only have "planned anarchy spaces" for kids to play in - suped up natural spaces, meticulously and stringently planned and organized by people in an office somewhere with 6 degrees to their name?
Hell Yeah, Drew. Egghead Apocalypse.
I'm going home tonight to set my child loose in the backyard. Yikers. Here comes anarchy!
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