Playing is natural; all children play, as do adults; even animals play. Playing is a serious business; it is one of the principles of the Universal Declaration of the Rights of the Child, which establishes that “the child should fully enjoy games and activities that should have education as their objective”, and that “Society and public powers will strive to promote the exercise of this right.”

In Brazil, legislation passed in 1996 regarding school education in the country, stipulates that children must have access to appropriate spaces and materials, and specifies the availability of toys.

I am not aware of specific halachot (Jewish laws) concerning games, but a search on Sefaria website produced a study sheet by Rabbi Akiva Levy, who shares the following text:

Rabbi Israel Pinchos Bodner:

Very young children and babies (those not old enough to learn Shabbat ) can play with all toys and games, even those whose use violates a prohibition. Although parents should not give these toys to the child if the child takes them, he can play with them, and parents are not required to restrict them.

My reading of this ruling is that Jewish law recognizes the naturalness of play and respects the child's learning processes and interests. After all, playing is also part of Jewish culture, although it is little discussed. Many Talmudic discussions arise from a biblical play on words, or from the game of finding hidden and associated words throughout the text.

A new idea occurs to me: we could play with the idea that this is why, in Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers), Yehuda ben Tema declares that age five is the time for [starting to study] Torah. Young children, with their affinity for games, can engage with the Pentateuch without the obstacles and inhibitions that characterize the adult world. Thus their interest in Judaism develops out of affectionate engagement and becomes a lasting bond.

Passover is another excellent example of how our sages already recognized the importance of play. The Torah teaches that we must recount the story of the Exodus from Egypt when our children ask us (Exodus 13:3-14). The Haggadah provides question and answer games (Ma Nishtana) to prompt this  process.

There are many ways to play, but toys have a key role in facilitating this. According to Neves, the history of toys parallels the development of humanity. According to the author, some objects began to be used for play as far back as 11,000 years ago. Kishimoto (2008) says the toy “is a stimulating material to make children's imagination flow.” Through toys, children begin to act as thinking subjects, as it is through their imagination that they attribute meaning or meanings to objects. Hence the great importance of toys for the development of human consciousness and thought.

According to Benjamin (2002), many of the oldest toys were originally presented to children as ritual objects, and only later, due to the force of their imagination, were they transformed into toys. In my experience, the Jewish holidays most beloved by children involve toys: the Purim masks, the Passover afikoman, and the Hanukkah sevivon. With all this, I think about how important it is that we stop to discuss, think, and create Jewish toys that can be introduced into the daily lives of children.

It is in the game that the conflicts, dilemmas, choices, and decisions pertinent to human existence are first experienced. That is why a game offers children the possibility of experiencing a role that is not yet relevant to their lives,  of experimenting, and of making mistakes. Therefore, the creation and introduction of Jewish games and toys at this time seems to me to be of great importance.

Benjamin (2002) adds that “playing with a toy is, for the child, the experience that gives shelter, the sensations of loss and reunion, self-control and the possibility of finding others.” With this in mind, we can ask ourselves if this refuge, this object of comfort, is Jewish. If so, by introducing it into the child’s life we will be consolidating a good foundation for a solid Jewish education.

In Portuguese, the word “game” comes from the Latin “vinculum,” which also means “bond”. Indeed, it seems natural to use games to build a bond with Judaism and Jewish education.

Having discussed the seriousness of the topic, I share my challenge of being able to discuss Jewish childhood education seriously and in depth. I constantly see the need to translate studies for and about the youth and adult universe into children's language.

The difficulty in finding academic spaces for dialogue on Jewish early childhood education reminds me of Paulo Freire's book entitled Teachers as Cultural Workers: Letters to Those Who Dare Teach. Throughout the book, the author provokes the reader to think about the professional responsibility of the pedagogue, who is required to undergo professional training within a given political system, unlike informal educators such as family figures, who do not assume formal educational responsibilities (Freire, 1997).

The challenge exists in the theoretical field, and there is a need for more resources and materials. In Brazil, for example, we do not have easy access to Jewish toys, which depend on imports and high customs duties, in addition to the fact that imported toys only sometimes reflect the cultural characteristics of the Brazilian Jewish community. My interest lies in the possibility of expanding and deepening Jewish early childhood education studies, leading to new interactions and the possibility of children embracing Judaism most naturally and seriously - through play.

 

References:

 

Benjamin, Walter. Reflexões sobre a criança, o brinquedo e a educação.

Brasil. Lei n. 9.394, de 20 de dezembro de 1996.

Freire, Paulo. Professora sim, tia não. Cartas a quem ousa educar.

Kishimoto, Tizuko Morchida (Org). Jogo, brinquedo, brincadeira e a educação.

Levy, Akiva. Kids Playroom. 2016.

Neves, Elisabete Gaia das. A brincadeira e o desenvolvimento cognitivo na educação infantil.

ONU. Declaração Universal dos Direitos da Criança. 1959.

 

 

Rebeka graduated from the International Master's in Jewish Education from the Melton Centre.

In the Master’s, students take the course Informal and Experiential Education, where they are trained in non-formal pedagogical strategies such as play and visual language.