Philosophical and Psychological Foundations of Education

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PLAY & RELAXATION

The "playfulness" of childhood is the most demanding teacher that one could have; it makes us explore our world to see what's there, to try to explain what all those structures are, and to imagine what else could possibly be. Exploring, explaining, and learning must be among a child's most obstinate drives--and never again in those children's lives will anything push them to work so hard. ~ Marvin Minsky, The Emotion Machine, p. 53

If you want really to do your best at an examination, fling away the book the day before, say to yourself, Í won’t waste another minute on this miserable thing, and I don’t care an iota whether I succeed or not.” Say this sincerely, and feel it; and go out and play, or go to bed and sleep, and I am sure the results next day will encourage you to use the method permanently.” ~ William James, Talks to Students, The Gospel of Relaxation

It is in our idleness, in our dreams, that the submerged truth sometimes comes to the top. ~ Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own

You must train the children to their studies in a playful manner, and without any air of constraint, with the further object of discerning more readily the natural bent of their respective characters. ~ Plato

Clearly we ought not be playing, for then play would be the end of life. But if this is inconceivable, and play is needed more amid serious occupations than at other times (for he who is hard at work has need of relaxation, and play gives relaxation, whereas occupation is always accompanied with exertion and effort), we should introduce amusements only at suitable times, and they should be our medicines, for the emotion which they create in the soul is a relaxation, and from the pleasure we obtain rest. ~ Aristotle, Politics

Man is most nearly himself when he achieves the seriousness of a child at play. ~ Heraclitus

What passes unnoticed by the child in real life becomes a rule of behavior in play. ~ Lev Vygotsky, Mind in Society

Just as the imaginary situation has to contain rules of behavior, so every game with rules contains an imaginary situation. ~ Lev Vygotsky, Mind in Society

A child's greatest achievements are possible in play, achievements that tomorrow will become her basic level of real action and morality. ~ Lev Vygotsky, Mind in Society

As in the focus of a magnifying glass, play contains all developmental tendencies in a condensed form and is itself a major source of development. ~ Lev Vygotsky, Mind in Society

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Last updated:
September 19, 2008 4:23 PM