Spin, spin, fidget spinners

Fidget toys yesterday and today © Jose Antonio Lopez
“We have been taught to distrust play. Worse, we have been taught that we are not and should not be playful. We have been taught that play is childish, immature, destructive. Taught by people who have themselves lost the path, who were themselves taught by people who believed that fun was, can you believe this: sinful. Taught by people who have inherited a broken culture where common sense has been replaced by common senselessness. Taught that if we work hard enough and long enough and live a life that is dull enough, we will be rewarded – when fun is the reward.” Bernard De Koven
El "fidget spinner" se ha puesto de moda a pesar que fue inventado hace más de 20 años por Catherine Hettinger. A lo largo de todo este tiempo pasó inadvertido pero su popularidad explotó repentinamente. Las reacciones positivas y negativas no se han dejado esperar. Curiosamente lo que pareciera haber disparado las ventas de los spinners fue un artículo de la revista Forbes que los incluía dentro de la lista de juguetes de oficina para el 2017. ¡¡¡¡¡¡Juguetes para adultos!!!!!!! ¿Por qué es curioso? Porque una vez los juguetitos llegaron a manos de los niños se volvieron juguetes malvados. Por ejemplo, recientemente en Alemania los declararon peligrosos para los niños porque contienen piezas pequeñas. Para un niño pequeño desarmar un fidget spinner es casi imposible. La noticia fue celebrada por aquellos que quieren prohibir los spinners porque distraen o son molestos. De hecho los spinners han sido prohibidos en muchos colegios y escuelas en todo el mundo.	Despite having been invented over 20 years ago by Catherine Hettinger, fidget spinners, are today craze toy. For all these years it was barely noticed but suddenly became hot. Both, positive and negative, reactions flooded the social media and news. One of the curious facts about these toys is that probably their popularity burst from an article in Forbes that included them in the list of "office toys for 2017". They were toys for adults!!!! Why is this background relevant? Because once the innocent toys reached the children they became evil. For instance they were banned in Germany because they have small parts. It is barely impossible for a small children to disassemble a spinner. The news were celebrated by those who have labeled the spinners as annoying and distracting and want them our of the schools. Indeed spinners have been banned in many schools all over the world.
Germany is destroying 35 TONNES of fidget spinners today. Can we now all agree that Germany is winning? — NomadChef (@N0madChef) June 16, 2017
La gente pareciera olvidar que los "fidget toys" han existido por siempre. En el colegio usaba el yo-yo y el capirucho. Jugaba con ellos por horas; en clase, en el bus, haciendo tareas o en el recreo. Otras personas se halan el pelo, juegan con las uñas, se truenan las articulaciones, sacuden los pies, mascan chicle o chupan paletas. Algunos prefieren artículos de oficina como lapiceros, clips y, el mejor, burbujas de empaque. Hay otras variantes modernas como el "fidget cube". Pero el rey de todos es el teléfono celular. Se considera que existe un trastorno llamado nomofobia que es el pánico a no tener el movil. La gente que cree en la retórica de que el valor del juego es porque ayuda al desarrollo del niño dudan que los fidget spinners sirvan de algo, especialmente a reducir la ansiedad como fue la intención de Hettinger. ¿Por qué pretendemos que todos los juguetes sean educativos? Está bien que los niños juegan por el puro gusto. Lo que está mal es que los niños se estén quietos. En su libro "The Element", Sir Ken Robinson nos cuenta la historia de Gillian Lynee que fue diagnosticada con problemas de atención pero realmente era una bailarina nata que no se podía estar quieta. Gillian Lynee es una de las más reconocidas coreógrafas gracias a sus aportes a musicales como Cats y El Fantasma de la Ópera. ¿Se imaginan que a Gillian la hubieran mantenido quieta? ¿Cuántos niños diagnosticados con déficit de atención e incluso medicados pudieron ser Gillians?	What people seems to forget is that fidget toys have always existed. I used "capiruchos" and yo-yo's in school. I spent hours with them; in class, on the bus, doing homework or during recess. Other people pull their hair, play with their nails, crack their joints, tap their feet, chew gum or suck a lollipop. Others play with office supplies like pens, paper clips, or the best of all bubble wrap. There are other modern variations such as the "fidget cube". But the king of all fidget toys is the cellphone, indeed there is a non-official disorder called nomophobia or the anxiety of not having a mobile. People who believe in the rhetoric of play as progress or the developmental aspects of play doubt that fidget spinners actually are of any use. There are questions about their capacity to reduce anxiety, as Hettinger intended. Why we have to find a purpose, educational, in a toy? It is OK for children to play with them just because. Having children still is what is wrong and evil. In his book "The Element", Sir Ken Robinson shares the story of Gillian Lynee who was diagnosed as having an attention disorder but she was actually a born dancer who couldn't stay still. Gillian Lynee is one of the most renowned choreographs after her work in Broadway musicals like Cats and The Phantom of the Opera. Can you imagine what would have happened to Gillian if they restrained her? How many children misdiagnosed with attention deficit and even medicated could have been like Gillian?
The amazing story of Gillian Lynne © Soul Mama
Desconozco cuál es realmente la motivación de la gente que se opone irracionalmente a los spinners. A veces pienso que en su niñez fueron obligados a estar quietos y no supieron disfrutar del placer de jugar. rechazo escuelas distracción peligro para niños rechazo small parts a favor FEE	I'm not sure why some people fiercely oppose the spinners. Sometimes I think they were forced to stay sill when young and never learned to enjoy the fun of playing for the sake of it.
Photo © Money Update. Me quedé corto, el primer spinner data de hace miles de años. I fell short, the fidget spinner dates thousands of years ago. Proof that there are no original ideas anymore pic.twitter.com/7zPxYha7QQ — Arielle Pardes (@pardesoteric) July 31, 2017

Jugando en la calle

Playing Out short intro from Playing Out on Vimeo.
Desde el 2001 la Municipalidad de Guatemala ha impulsado y extendido el programa de Pasos y Pedales. Si bien es una iniciativa loable su impacto es discutible. Más allá de los vendedores callejeros que se aseguran un ingreso adicional, el programa es una molestia para los vecinos de las áreas aledañas que enfrentan complicaciones de tránsito, vehículos estacionados en sus cuadras y basura. Por otro lado la mayoría de los vecinos que participan necesitan trasladarse desde procedencias muy diversas y difícilmente se lograr crea un sentido de comunidad. Existen otras formas de lograr el resultado de una manera más efectiva. Una de ellas es el cierre temporal al paso de vehículos en calles de zonas residenciales, mientras se abren para que los niños salgan a jugar sin los peligros del tránsito. Estos programas han sido muy exitosos en países como el Reino Unido. Por ejemplo la ciudad de Edimbug tiene una página para poder inscribir calles al programa con reglas claras al respecto.	Since 2001 the Guatemala City municipality has promoted and extended a program called "Pasos y Pedales" (Steps and Pedals. This is a project where long main streets and avenues are closed to traffic Sunday mornings to allow people to go out and spend time outdoors). Even though the project has good intentions I question its full benefits. Beyond street vendors making an extra income, the program is a nuance to the nearby residents who face complications in traffic, and find their streets full of parked cars and trash. Since visitors come from different areas of the city there is little sense of community from the program. There are other ways to achieve the same results in a more effective way. One of them is the temporary closeout of residential streets in neighborhoods while opening the space for children to go out and play without the risks related to traffic. Programs like this are very successful in countries like Great Britain. For instance the city of Edimbug has a website with clear rules to apply for a Playing Out street.
Children playing out SCV Campference 2017
Otra iniciativas interesante son esfuerzos privados como el que tomó el emprendedor Mike Lanza en su barrio en Menlo Park, California. Lanza promueve la idea y para ello escribió el libro "Playborhood" donde explica sus motivaciones, los beneficios del concepto, ofrece sugerencias sobre cómo implementarlos y comparte ejemplos de diferentes calles en Estados Unidos donde se han logrado crear ambientes seguros para que los niños jueguen en las calles de EUA. A diferencia de Pasos y Pedales, en los Playborhoods si fortalecen los lazos de amistad entre vecinos creando un autentico sentido de comunidad. Considerando que una de las razones más frecuentes por las que los niños no salen a jugar es que "no hay nadie afuera", aquí pueden entrar y salir de su casa sin mayor necesidad de supervisión (y sobreprotección). Estas y más solución tienen un valor especial porque emerge de las mismas comunidades, son sencillas y muy efectivas. Lo único que se requiere es que los vecinos se organicen y que las autoridades los apoyen. Ojalá las municipalidades conocieran más de estas iniciativa y apoyaran y motivaran a los comités de barrio a tomar estas.	Another worth considering solutions are private initiatives like Mike Lanza's playborhood in Menlo Park, California are also worth considering. Lanza is an active advocate of the idea and published a book "Playborhood" where he shares his motivations, the reasons why it is important, suggestions on how to do it, and presents examples of similar initiatives that provided safe spaces for children free play all over the USA. Contrary to "Pasos y Pedales" and similar ideas, a playborhood does enhance the friendship and community bonds of the neighbors. Considering that one of the most common excuses of why children don't go out to play is that nobody is there here they can go out and play without supervision (and over-protection). These and other solutions are valuable because they are emergent solution from the communities, they are inexpensive and simple but quite effective. It only requires the neighborhood to get organized and the authorities to support. If cities would consider this initiatives they would support and motivate neighbors to organize and implement.
Photo © Playing Out

Libros recomendados

Books, books, and more books
Esta es una lista de libros relacionados con el juego. Es nuestra sugerencia para quienes quieran aprender más sobre el tema. La lista es dinámica y se irá ampliando en la medida que conozcamos y leamos nuevos textos.	Here is a list of book related to the play topic. It is our suggestion for those interested in learning more about the subject. The list is dynamic and will grow as we find and read more books.
A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver DeMille Creative Schools by Ken Robinson Don't Go Back to School by Kio Stark Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto Evolutionary Playwork by Bob Hughes Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Free to Learn by Peter O. Gray Free-Range Kids by Lenore Skenazy How Children Succeed by Paul Tough How To Raise An Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims No Fear by Tim Gill Play by Stuart Brown Playborhood by Mike Lanza Rethinking Children's Play by Fraser Brown, Michael Patte Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids by Bryan Caplan Teach Your Children Well by Madeline Levine The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs The Gardener and the Carpenter by Alison Gopnik Unschooling Rules by Clark Aldrich Why People Play by Michael J. Ellis Finite and Infinite Games by James Carsen

Bienvenidos

Adventure Play - Berkeley, CA by David Gilkey/NPR
Este blog será para compartir temas relacionados con el juego libre en los niños. El juego es el germen de la libertad y en la medida que a los niños se les limite el derecho al juego no solo perdemos funciones biológicas sino la apreciación por la libertad.	This blog is a new space created to share ideas about free play for children. Play is the seed of freedom and as long as the children's right to play is restrained we will loose the biological benefits but our love for liberty