September 23, 2016 - 17:09
Many children have once played in some sort of ruin. This does not always mean they have played in a dump or construction ground or old building, this means they have played and laughed in an environment that was harsh, an environment we typically try to hide them from and leave them naïve too. When children are given the opportunity to play, they are able to do it in so many different conditions if it is relatively safe or allowed by a guardian. Kids explore and find use of any kind of ruin with smiles and laughter. It is interesting to look at how children are able to find joy in the darkest situations.
Many kids partake in imaginative play where they may take on a role or character and act as they believe that character would act. It could be anything from a doctor, teacher, or parent. They imitate the adult world, or even the harsh world we try to hide from them, as they have seen it through their eyes. It’s amazing how much of the world children see and understand. Kids are seen as naïve and this may be true in that they might not fully understand the severity of circumstances or the wrong in certain occurrences, but they can play back or act out instances clearly and vividly. They play in imagined ruins or relive episodes that they should’ve not seen or are too young to completely understand.
I was struck by how vivid, realistic, and accurate Kaylie’s experience of play as a child was. She described how she played mainly based on stories or experiences her and her friends had seen or lived through. This could be anything from living with a drunken abusive father where someone played the father, the mother, and the kid. Harsh scenes acted out by children from seven to nine with smiles on their faces and laughter. In her blog post she gives a narrative of one of the scenes her friends acted out: a birth. The doctors had names, equipment was named out, there was a vivid and clear image of this birth. And props were used, suggesting that they had seen someone give birth before, whether that be on tv or a home video. They knew exact details and emotions attached to the birth (Kismet, 2016). This is not necessarily a harsh scene it is a scene in which the kids are imitating something they have had no experience with and don’t have a full understanding of but have memorized every detail of the experience. For children it is fun to act out experiences that seem as though they are for older people or adults. For them, it’s another form of entertainment.
Children have also played in actual ruins where the world around them crumbles down as a result of violence, war, or natural disasters. Recently there has been a ceasefire in Syria and children have come out of their homes and shelters to play in the streets that are now covered in the rubble of fallen buildings. They play on swings and go to parks that they haven’t seen for a long time. They are smiling and laughing, and seem to have put the memories of the sound of bombs going off in the back of their minds as they play with their friends. I can’t help but wonder if any of these kids have friends or family members they may have lost during the bombings. To be able to play and be happy is so amazing during a time of disaster. Children have an ability to play in ruins and find fun in the rubble.
Children live through unthinkable situations that are traumatic and hard to understand at a young age but ultimately, play will win. Children will somehow find a way to make fun and be happy in the roughest moments. Or they make fun of the adult things they have not fully understood yet. Although a child’s world may be ruined, their spirit and desire to be joyful will not be ruined.
Kismet. “Operation.” Serendip. N.p., 20 Sept. 2016. Web. 23 Sept. 2016.
Cook, Jesselyn. “Syrian ChildrenLaugh and Play During The Ceasefire.” The Huffington Post. N.p., 2016. Web. 23 Sept. 2016.