play Quotes

“All work and no play makes Matthias a dull mouse.”

“George, I am going to take you to a big Zoo in a big city. You will like it there. Now run along and play, but don’t get into trouble.”

“The attic was a lovely place to play. The large, round, colored pumpkins made beautiful chairs and tables.”

“At playtime she twirled and spun across the playground so fast that none of the little boys in her class could catch her, and they were all very annoyed.”

“He thought he had the most splendid time in the Gardens, and to think you have it is almost quite as good as really to have it.”

“And when they played the really PLAYED. And when they worked they really WORKED.”

“Humphrey was looking for his rabbit, Mop. He wanted to go and play but he had to have Mop, otherwise it just wasn’t right.”

“He would play chess with the elephant (who though an though before make a move), run races with the tortoise (who never ever lost), sit quietly with the penguin (who was very shy), lend a handkerchief to the rhinoceros (who always had a runny nose), and, at sunset, read stories to the owl (who was afraid of the dark). ”

“So Goldilocks put the pound note In the pocket of her frock, And the Postman joined the party And they all played ‘Postman’s Knock’. “

“Tess gave herself over completely to the game and the joy of companionship. It happened occasionally that she met a friend of a sort in the animal world, but as with human friends, it always seemed to be hard work. This was different. The chipmunk was as eager for company as she was.”

“When we picked up my dad at his office he said that I couldn’t play with his copying machine, but I forgot. He also said to watch out for the books on his desk, and I was careful as could be except for my elbow. He also said don’t fool around with his phone, but I think I called Australia. My dad said please don’t pick him up anymore. ”

“Most of all Grace loved to act out adventure stories and fairy tales. When there was no one else around, Grace played all the parts herself.”

“One day Grace’s teacher said they would do the play Peter Pan. Grace knew who she wanted to be. When she raised her hand, Raj said, ‘You can’t be Peter- that’s a boy’s name.‘”

“And so it was that he was taken off guard as the little boat made its bid for freedom. Soothed by the sweetness of Mowzer’s serenade, the Great Storm-Cat paused in his prowling and pulled back his giant cat’s paw for a mere moment. Swiftly the little boat passed through the Mousehole and out into the open sea. Then the Great Storm-Cat played with them as a cat plays with a mouse. He would let them loose for a little as they fought their way towards the fishing grounds. Then down would come his giant cat’s paw in a flurry of foam and water. But he did not yet strike to sink them, for that would have spoiled his sport.”

“In the corner of the playroom was a little wooden airplane with a propellar that went round and round. ‘We could use this plane to get to the trap door,’ said Bramwell. ‘Rather dangerous, I know, but quite honestly I can’t bear to think of Old Bear up there for a minute longer.’ “

“Thomas was a cheeky little engine, too. He thought no engine worked as hard as he did. So he used to play tricks on them. He liked best of all to come quietly beside a big engine dozing on the siding and make him jump.”

“Now, freight cars are silly and noisy. They talk a lot and don’t attend to what they are doing. They don’t listen to their engine, and when he stops, they bump into each other, screaming, ‘Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Whatever is happening?’ And, I’m sorry to say, they play tricks on an engine who is not used to them.”

“Those who are alive, especially kids and baby animals, play and run and laugh and think that it is fun to discover everything. It’s not very common for people to die when they are young. But sometimes it does happen.”

″‘Bisa Bea, do you want to come out and play with us?’ She didn’t exactly give me an answer, but I knew she was dying to go out and play. First, silence means consent. Then I only had to look into her eyes to see how brightly they shone when I mentioned the idea.”

“But mind maidens, he must not see you, or know that you are here. He is but a savage now, and like the beasts which perish; and from the beasts which perish he must learn. So you must not play with him, or speak to him, or let him see you: but only keep him from being harmed.”

“The fun and frolic seemed to grow greater the longer they played. In the excitement, time went on much faster than any of them dreamed. Suddenly, in the midst of the noise, came a sound - the sharp distinct slam of the carryall-door at the side entrance. Aunt Izzie had returned from her lecture.”

“When the children have been good, That is, be it understood, Good at meal-times, good at play, Good all night and good all day, - They shall have the pretty things Merry Christmas always brings.”

“With these three little girls and two little boys There is sure to be plenty of laughter and noise; But nobody minds it, because don’t you see, At school they are quiet with lessons they say - But when holidays come they can play the whole day.”

“Girls and boys come out to play, The moon it shines as bright as day; Leave your supper, and leave your sleep, And come to your playmates in the street; Come with a whoop, come with a call, Come with a good will, or come not at all; Up the ladder and down the wall, A halfpenny loaf will serve us all.”

“Leaf after leaf of the fine gold he brought to the poor, and the children’s faces grew rosier, and they laughed and played games in the street.”

″‘Let’s go and swim and play and SEE things!’ he said happily. ‘We can’t,’ said the little red fish. ‘The big fish will eat us all.‘”

“For crowing there was not his equal in all the land. His voice was merrier than the merry organ that plays in the church, and his crowing from his resting place was more trustworthy than a clock.”

“There was not a boy on the wharf Johnny did not know. He had made friends with some and enemies of others, and had played or fought with all of them. […] Seemingly in one month he had become a stranger, an outcast on Hancock’s wharf. He was maimed and they were whole.”

“He played where they were fixing the street and got very dirty.”

“Anyway, I played with him a bit in he back where Dad stacked the crates. It was all right at first but then he started wittering; so when Dad went off in the van, i gave him ten pence for a lolly. He ran inside and I got on the bike and left. ”

“This Bad Harry and my naughty little sister used to play together quite a lot in Harry’s garden, or in our garden, and got up to dreadful mischief between them, picking all the baby gooseberries, and the green blackcurrants, and throwing sand on the flower-beds, and digging up the runner-bean seeds, and all the naughty sorts of things you never, never do in the garden.”

“What struck Tom’s youthful imagination was the desperate and lawless character of most of the stories. Was the guard hoaxing him? He couldn’t help hoping that they were true. It’s very odd how almost all English boys love danger. You can get ten to join a game, or climb a tree, or swim a stream, when there’s a chance of breaking their limbs or getting drowned, for one who’ll stay on level ground, or in his depth, or play quoits or bowls.”

“From Franklin Hyde’s adventure, lean to pass your Leisure Time In Cleanly Merriment, and turn From Mud and Ooze and Slime And Every form of Nastiness- But, on the other hand, Children in ordinary Dress May always play with Sand.”

“To Baby Oh, what shall my blue eyes go see? Shall it be pretty Quack-Quack to-day? Or the Peacock upon the Yew Tree? Or the dear little white Lambs at play? Say Baby. For Baby is such a young Petsy, And Baby is such a sweet Dear. And Baby is growing quite old now- She’s just getting on for a year.”

“The object of all schools is not to ram Latin and Greek into boys, but to make them good English boys, good future citizens; and by far the most important part of that work must be done, or not done, out of school hours. To leave it, therefore, in the hands of inferior men, is just giving up the highest and hardest part of the work of education. Were I a private school-master, I should say, Let who will hear the boys their lessons, but let me live with them when they are at play and rest.”

When the short days of winter came dusk fell before we had well eaten our dinners. When we met in the street the houses had grown sombre. The space of sky above us was the colour of ever-changing violet and towards it the lamps of the street lifted their feeble lanterns. The cold air stung us and we played till our bodies glowed. Our shouts echoed in the silent street. The career of our play brought us through the dark muddy lanes behind the houses where we ran the gauntlet of the rough tribes from the cottages, to the back doors of the dark dripping gardens where odours arose from the ashpits, to the dark odorous stables where a coachman smoothed and combed the horse or shook music from the buckled harness.

“Have regular hours for work and play, make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will be delightful, old age will bring few regrets, and life become a beautiful success, in spite of poverty.”

Poor Heathcliff! Hindley calls him a vagabond, and won’t let him sit with us, nor eat with us any more; and, he says, he and I must not play together, and threatens to turn him out of the house if we break his orders.

“I—I? How was I to guess he would play with such dirt. The Monkey People! Faugh!”