Play

What an interesting chapter! Child psychologist, Donald Winnicott wrote, “Play is essential to creative development, and play requires a different mind-set from ordinary consciousness.” Play is a beneficial medium for children’s learning. They can gain social, emotional, physical and language skills through it. Confidence is also gained and reality is weaved into their lives. Children imitate what they see, such as cooking and other activities. Without realizing it, they are in a different enjoyable mind-set than ordinary consciousness during the play.

Child’s play in Alice and Wonderland is very odd, but then so is Lewis Carroll! I found myself in shock reading about him. What an odd person! He was delighted in the company of young girls? He photographed nude children? Today, he would have quickly been arrested for child pornography without another thought. We certainly live in a different time period today! It is understandable now after learning about the Fly Agaric toadstool (Amanita muscaria) how the Caterpillar’s mushroom in the story, “Alice In Wonderland” has an honorary status with modern dope enthusiasts. I have no doubt Lewis Carroll was in an “Altered State of Mind”, while writing his stories!