--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Imagine for a moment playing by…" description: "\"Imagine for a moment playing by children's rules. If you were at a party and saw someone you liked, you could just go and hold their hand. If they then..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/miranda-hart-3735_adults_imagine-for-a-moment-playing-by-children_2074553.png" --- # Imagine for a moment playing by children's rules. If you… ![“Imagine for a moment playing by children's rules. If you were at a party and saw someone you liked, you could just go and hold their hand. If they then try to kiss you and you don't like it, you can push them over. If your aunty gives you a Christmas present that you're not too keen on, you can…” quote by Miranda Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/miranda-hart-3735_adults_imagine-for-a-moment-playing-by-children_2074553.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/miranda-hart-3735_adults_imagine-for-a-moment-playing-by-children_2074553.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/miranda-hart-3735_adults_imagine-for-a-moment-playing-by-children_2074553.png) > “Imagine for a moment playing by children's rules. If you were at a party and saw someone you liked, you could just go and hold their hand. If they then try to kiss you and you don't like it, you can push them over. If your aunty gives you a Christmas present that you're not too keen on, you can throw it back in her face and burst into tears. You can gallop freely. You can skip. Children have got it right. The tragedy is, none of this is permissible as an adult. Although one thing surely is – and I'll bet you know what I'm going to say – that's right, the galloping. Such fun!” [Miranda Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-hart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts childlike freedom with adult constraints, highlighting the joy of spontaneous, uninhibited actions that society often suppresses. **In simple terms:** Children act freely without social rules; adults are restricted. Key Takeaway Embrace playful spontaneity despite adult norms. Themes freedom playfulness social norms adult constraints childhood innocence Mood playful reflective nostalgic Type advice philosophical humorous When to use this quote - party interactions - romantic encounters - gift giving - family gatherings - personal expression Key Concepts spontaneity authenticity psychology socialization Questions to Reflect On - What adult rule would you relax for more joy? - How can you safely incorporate childlike play into daily life? A Different Perspective Adult responsibilities and social expectations limit such behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-rules-4021518/) [Christmas present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas-present/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Gallop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gallop/) [Gallop Freely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gallop-freely-4021516/) [Galloping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/galloping/) [Galloping Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/galloping-fun-4021517/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Kissing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kissing/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [Saws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saws/) [Skip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skip/) [Someone you like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/someone-you-like/) [Tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tears/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [“As a leader, you have to disbelieve what you can’t do. It’s by so doing that you can believe in what you can do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/as-a-leader-you-have-to-disbelieve-what-you-can-t-do-it-s-by-so-doing/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I want to be more physical and theatrical within the stand-up. There might be dance moments, and people better watch out - I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-hart/i-want-to-be-more-physical-and-theatrical-within-the-stand-up-there/) [Miranda Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-hart/) > [Why do you need to gallop while you fly?" "Why do humans have to sway their arms while they walk? I dunno boss, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/why-do-you-need-to-gallop-while-you-fly-why-do-humans-have-to-sway/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [The downside to making movies at a gallop like we did with 'Wish You Were Here' is that we're shooting four or five scenes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-edgerton/the-downside-to-making-movies-at-a-gallop-like-we-did-with-wish-you/) [Joel Edgerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-edgerton/) > [Trust-me companies are companies whose financial results gallop ahead of their businesses, companies with seemingly perfect control over their quarterly sales and profits. Companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/trust-me-companies-are-companies-whose-financial-results-gallop-ahead/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) > [Is it not unsupportable to be held down to a canter when you long to gallop for miles?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgette-heyer/is-it-not-unsupportable-to-be-held-down-to-a-canter-when-you-long-to/) [Georgette Heyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgette-heyer/) > [Young horses who cannot bear the whip or spur find life hard. At every smart they start forward and rush to their destruction, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-lagerl-f/young-horses-who-cannot-bear-the-whip-or-spur-find-life-hard-at-every/) [Selma Lagerlöf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-lagerl-f/) > [The rush of a herd of bellowing yaks at a wild gallop, waving their huge tails, is a grand sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-bird/the-rush-of-a-herd-of-bellowing-yaks-at-a-wild-gallop-waving-their/) [Isabella Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-bird/) > [I gallop and jump and ride young horses with intense pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-smiley/i-gallop-and-jump-and-ride-young-horses-with-intense-pleasure/) [Jane Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-smiley/) > [The death I should prefer would be to break my neck off the back of a good horse at a full gallop on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-kemble/the-death-i-should-prefer-would-be-to-break-my-neck-off-the-back-of-a/) [Fanny Kemble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-kemble/) > [Go Sir, gallop and don't forget that the world was made in six days. You can ask me for anything but not time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/go-sir-gallop-and-don-t-forget-that-the-world-was-made-in-six-days/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“If you were called to gallop like the horse, never end up hopping like the frog. Rise up for greatness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/if-you-were-called-to-gallop-like-the-horse-never-end-up-hopping-like/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [At the end of your days, you will be judged by your gallop, not by your stumble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-whitford/at-the-end-of-your-days-you-will-be-judged-by-your-gallop-not-by-your/) [Bradley Whitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-whitford/) > [I still hung onto the hope that my broken knight would gallop back into my life and sweep me off my feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-meredith-walters/i-still-hung-onto-the-hope-that-my-broken-knight-would-gallop-back/) [A. Meredith Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-meredith-walters/) > [“You don’t see someone flying and you begin to bite yourself for not being able to do that. You do what you can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-don-t-see-someone-flying-and-you-begin-to-bite-yourself-for-not/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) ## More by Miranda Hart > [People are obviously going to mention what I look like, but it's a shame it has to be a key part. I can't just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-hart/people-are-obviously-going-to-mention-what-i-look-like-but-it-s-a/) [Miranda Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-hart/) > [I have always thought of comedy as an important job and medium, and so I put pressure on myself to do the best I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-hart/i-have-always-thought-of-comedy-as-an-important-job-and-medium-and-so/) [Miranda Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-hart/) > [I did things like get in a cupboard before the teacher came in at the beginning of a lesson, and then, two minutes before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-hart/i-did-things-like-get-in-a-cupboard-before-the-teacher-came-in-at-the/) [Miranda Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-hart/) > [“I was deeply moved by this, moved by how tremendous it felt to be so simply trusted, and I found myself thinking about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-hart/i-was-deeply-moved-by-this-moved-by-how-tremendous-it-felt-to-be-so/) [Miranda Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-hart/) > [“I knew i would step back into having a faith at the centre of my life. 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I'll cry at your basic television programme, let alone a weepie.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-hart/i-do-love-to-cry-i-ll-cry-at-the-drop-of-a-hat-i-ll-cry-at-your-basic/) [Miranda Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-hart/) > [“Time for an exercise, which I shall call 'Say It Out Loud With Miranda'. Please take a moment to sit back, breathe and intone:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-hart/time-for-an-exercise-which-i-shall-call-say-it-out-loud-with-miranda/) [Miranda Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-hart/) > [“A PICNIC IS NOT AN ADVENTURE! Excuse me, but at thirty-eight and over six foot, trying to sit cross-legged on the ground to eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-hart/a-picnic-is-not-an-adventure-excuse-me-but-at-thirty-eight-and-over/) [Miranda Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-hart/) > [“The only acceptable hobby, throughout all stages of life, is cookery. As a child: adorable baked items. 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Indeed, the formality of the real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-hart/personally-i-think-on-leaving-school-we-aren-t-prepared-to-deal-with/) [Miranda Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-hart/) [Explore all 123 Miranda Hart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-hart/) ## More Adults quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. 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Anders Ericsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-anders-ericsson/) > [Part of life is doing stuff that you don't want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/part-of-life-is-doing-stuff-that-you-don-t-want-to-do/) [One Who Does Not Wish To Be Named](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [Kids, if anything, are harder to write for because they are a more discerning audience. They will not stay with you if you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/kids-if-anything-are-harder-to-write-for-because-they-are-a-more/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [On the one hand, we had great filmic spectacles that brought in big audiences, adults as well as primary and secondary school students. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrzej-wajda/on-the-one-hand-we-had-great-filmic-spectacles-that-brought-in-big/) [Andrzej Wajda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrzej-wajda/) > [It's hard to change adults, and it's hard to change it from a political position or a perceived political position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/it-s-hard-to-change-adults-and-it-s-hard-to-change-it-from-a/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [When I was a child at sixteen, I was just a child. All sixteen year-olds are just children. As much as we like them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-abagnale/when-i-was-a-child-at-sixteen-i-was-just-a-child-all-sixteen-year/) [Frank Abagnale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-abagnale/) [Browse all 3,113 Adults quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Imagine for a moment playing by children's rules. If you were at a party and saw someone you liked, you could just go and hold their hand. If they then try to kiss you and you don't like it, you can push them over. If your aunty gives you a Christmas present that you're not too keen on, you can throw it back in her face and burst into tears. You can gallop freely. You can skip. Children have got it right. The tragedy is, none of this is permissible as an adult. Although one thing surely is – and I'll bet you know what I'm going to say – that's right, the galloping. 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