Trust Your Cape
Rebecca in a flannel shirt with a yellow tutu on her head and a red Spider Man cape over her shoulder
Learn Play Grow is about more than learning through play. At its heart, it is about honoring the dignity of children and the worthiness of childhood. The Renegade Play Summit with Kristen Peterson, Mr. Chazz, That Early Childhood Nerd, and more, clarified this commitment and strengthened my practice.
Childhood is messy, for children and adults. Childhood is an opportunity for children to explore urges, take risks, and build a foundation for trusting themselves as learners. Childhood is also an opportunity for adults to see the value of experience and stop trying to save children from it.
"Life is just a leap of faith. So spread your arms, hold your breath, and always trust your cape," sang Guy Clark. Our job is to learn for ourselves and teach our children to trust their capes.
Here are 3 renegade play strategies to help you and your children trust your capes:
Take the child's perspective: What are they looking at, interested in, or talking about? Build on their interests rather than trying to make them play something else. When I see parents or caregivers interrupting a child's coloring or construction to ask them if they want to play a board game or do a puzzle, I remind them that the child is already playing, and if they follow the child's lead, they can play, too.
Practice Yes/And flexibility: Play is a lot like improv comedy, where yes/and keeps the fun alive. When a child says, "My castle is in outer space," we could redirect them with factoids about zero gravity, or we could join them by saying, "Good thing we have space construction tools!" Yes/and flexibility builds connection, keeps the fun alive, and sparks creativity. That's what play is all about!
Trust there's no right way to play: Play is about wonder, freedom, and joy. We often approach children's play through the lens of adult goals, obligation, and fear. It's ok to let go and be fully present in the moment with your child. There is no way to get it wrong in play!
The goal of childhood is not to rush to the next developmental milestone. The goal of childhood is to build trust and spark a love of learning. Play is how children learn to trust themselves and learn how to learn.
Stay tuned to Learn Play Grow for more support on how to trust yourself, honor the learning journey, and focus on growth over perfection. Spoiler alert: play is the way!
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