The Ultimate Block Party's Blog

We are  pleased to announce that mother of 3 and esteemed actress, Sarah Jessica Parker, has agreed to be a special spokesperson for the Ultimate Block Party!

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We have been roaming the streets asking moms and dads, celebrities and politicians, lawyers and musicians how they played when they were kids and how this shaped who they became. Here is what Sarah Jessica Parker had to say….

“I am one of 8 children. I grew up in a home filled with chaos. How could it be otherwise?  And I think early on we were both encouraged and taught to use our imaginations. And our legs. Our imaginations were used for story telling, making games up, playing with dolls and creating lives for them, listening to records of comedians and broadway shows, roller skating in the house during long, cold midwestern winters and deeply enjoying some of the finer board games such as masterpiece, milles bourne, monopoly and the game of life. On days where weather cooperated we spent hours and hours outdoors making massive piles of leaves, playing kick the can, climbing trees, rolling down hills, riding tricycles then bikes and simply roaming around the neighborhood in packs of children from 6 years to the “big kid” age of 12 and 13 years old.

We learned to compete, lose, argue, solve conflicts, create teams and never grow bored. We barely remembered we were hungry. We learned to win like the older kids and how to take care of the younger ones. We schemed, got hurt, laughed, cried and eventually when the street lights went on, reluctantly said goodbye and made our way home.

Upon reflection, I’m not surprised I ended up choosing my work. And all I learned the easy and hard way has been enormously helpful in pursuing my adult work. Being creative, collaborative, resourceful, responsible, accountable and excited. I realize those are adjectives that describe how I learned to play, during the most important and influential years of my life.”

—Sarah Jessica Parker, Actress and Mother

Talent, Interests, Knowledge, and Skills—Begin with Child’s Play

Did you ever wonder where all of Sarah Jessica Parker’s talent came from?  How she helps us to imagine worlds that don’t actually exist and get caught up in story play that lasts for years?  This amazing mother and actress credits play!  As you can see from her quote, she learned firsthand how play (and not flashcards, forced lessons, or guilt-tripped tutoring!) helped her practice the skills that have allowed her to succeed.  In a house full of children and chaos, she “played her way” to becoming the mother and actress that she is today!

But how does play shape us? As children play, there’s a lot of learning going on underneath. Research shows that when children engage in imaginative play, like pretending to be a fairy princess in a far-away land, they learn how to develop a storyline, role-play, cooperate with others, regulate their attention, and work their creative juices! And what about when they get those board games out? They practice counting, logic, and cooperation! When we peer beneath the surface of play, we see the foundations of the future!

How Did Play Shape YOU?

All adults, celebrities or not, used to be kids! Think about it and feel free to add your answers on our Ultimate Block Party facebook page!  Once you give yourself the time and space to answer, you will probably see the power of play in an entirely different light!

“Play for Tomorrow” at the Ultimate Block Party!

By participating in the Ultimate Block Party and taking the lessons you learned home with you, you will be helping to give your child the tools to become the world’s next best actress, actor, mother, father, scientist, teacher, doctor, lawyer, engineer, therapist, nurse, politician, manager, or even president!

Interested in Learning More?

You can visit the play = learning website.

Or, check out some published findings!

Christie, J., & Roskos, K. (2009).Play’s potential in early literacy development. Encyclopedia of Early Childhood Development.

Ginsburg, H., Lee, J.S., Boyd, J. (2008). Mathematics education for young children: What it is and how to promote it. SRCD  Social Policy Report: Giving Child and Youth Development Knowledge Away, XXII.

Ramani, G, & Siegler, R. (2008). Promoting broad and stable improvements in low-income children’s numerical knowledge through playing number board games. Child Development, 79, 375 – 394.

Singer, D., Golinkoff, R. M., & Hirsh-Pasek, K. (Eds.) (2008). Play = learning: How play motivates and enhances children’s cognitive and spcio-emotional growth.  New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Singer, D., & Singer, J. (1992). The house of make believe: Children’s play and the developing imagination. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

This blog was written by Dr. Jennifer Zosh, Assistant Professor at Pennsylvania State University, Brandywine, and Dr. Kelly Fisher, Postdoctoral Fellow at Temple University.