Are children playing less than they used to? Are rising obesity rates linked to a decline in children’s time to play freely? These and other related questions have filled the pages of newspapers, magazines and scholarly journals for the past decade. Researchers and journalists have attributed these issues to societal changes around children’s lives and […]
Always the Cinderella of the education system, the significance of early years has been seriously under-estimated. Play is the Way brings together leading practitioners, policy-makers and academics to explain how a coherent approach to early years – centred on positive relationships and play – will not only result in better educational performance but in greatly […]
As fewer children have access to natural play areas, and as health and educational professionals increasingly realize the value of play in both physical and emotional development, this collection of essays on play provides a timely look at current trends in play theory and practice. Editors Mary Ruth Moore and Constance Sabo-Risley continue to build […]
With growing numbers of children living in poverty and standardized tests becoming increasingly important, there’s never been a better time for a volume of essays on the value of play in mental and emotional development. Mary Ruth Moore and Constance Sabo-Risley honor and build upon the work of Joe L. Frost, the father of play […]
In an era of increasingly patient-centered healthcare, understanding how health and illness play out in social context is vital. This volume opens a unique window on the role of play in health and wellbeing in widely varied contexts, from the work of Patch Adams as a hospital clown, to an Australian facility for dementia treatment, […]
More than any other textbook on the market, Play and Child Development, Fourth Edition, ties play directly to child development. The authors address the full spectrum of play-related topics and seamlessly blend research, theory, and practical applications throughout this developmentally-based resource. Readers will learn about historical, theoretical, and practical approaches to promoting development through integrated […]
This book offers a rich collection of international research narratives that reveal the qualities and value of peer play. It presents new understandings of peer play and relationships in chapters drawn from richly varied contexts that involve sibling play, collaborative peer play, and joint play with adults. The book explores social strategies such as cooperation, […]
According to Roger Caillois, play is “an occasion of pure waste: waste of time, energy, ingenuity, skill, and often of money.” In spite of this–or because of it–play constitutes an essential element of human social and spiritual development. In this classic study, Caillois defines play as a free and voluntary activity that occurs in a […]
Let children experience the learning power of play. Children’s play is focused, purposeful, and full of learning. As children play, they master motor development, learn language and social skills, think creatively, and make cognitive leaps. This (un)curriculum is all about supporting child-led play, trusting children as capable and engaged learners, and forgoing packaged curriculums and […]
In Homo Ludens , the classic evaluation of play that has become a “must-read” for those in game design, Dutch philosopher Johan Huizinga defines play as the central activity in flourishing societies. Like civilization, play requires structure and participants willing to create within limits. Starting with Plato, Huizinga traces the contribution of Homo Ludens , […]
From Play to Practice describes how and why play is important. The play workshop experiences for educators that are outlined in the book help teachers understand and promote play-based learning as part of developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs. Journal reflections of play participants, along with photos from play workshops, illustrate the power of […]
When absorbed in deep play our sensory awareness is heightened, we become immersed in the present moment and feel intensely alert and alive. Because play is fun and rewarding, we operate at the peak of our mental and physical capacity. Animals love to play. Crows will slide on their backs on a steep snowy slope, […]
“Big body play”―the sometimes rowdy, always very physical running, rolling, climbing, tagging, jumping, grabbing, and wrestling that most children love and many adults try to shut down―can and should be an integral part of every early childhood setting. Drawing from evidence-based practice and the latest research, this book explains the multitude of benefits of big […]
A noted expert in the psychology of childhood proves that children can teach adults valuable lessons about freedom, creativity and the invigorating joy of just having fun.
In this important book, a pediatric occupational therapist and founder of TimberNook shows how outdoor play and unstructured freedom of movement are vital for children’s cognitive development and growth, and offers tons of fun, engaging ways to help ensure that kids grow into healthy, balanced, and resilient adults. Today’s kids have adopted sedentary lifestyles filled […]
This is a booklet published by the International Play Association (IPA). It includes a glossary of play-related terms and acronyms – ‘Publisher’ link will download PDF of booklet. Article 31 of the UNCRC (United Nations Committee on the Rights of Children) recognizes the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play […]
Why Play Works is aimed at educators, school administrators and parents, it provides a road map for schools and parents to create playful experiences through which students learn to navigate the demands of social connection. The book features sections on: – Why Play: The importance of intentionally integrating play in day-to-day school operations-especially in this […]
Most recognize that play is good for children yet we are confused by the dangers we see in the wider environment and so often restrict children’s natural opportunities to play. As a result children’s play has gained increased awareness amongst a variety of professions working with children, many of whom have different approaches to play […]
Based on the exceptional scholarship of distinguished sociologist Thomas S. Henricks, this penetrating, accessible, and wide-ranging collection presents the culmination of his efforts through the American Journal of Play in particular to elucidate what play is and what it means to human beings. The book presents five of his original essays and an interview that […]
Making Sense of Play straightforwardly describes how self-chosen, engaging and satisfying play is best for children. It explores how adults can best support children’s free play with an approach that is holistic, inclusive and practical and offers clear tools to highlight better ways of relating to and providing for playing children. The book extends two […]
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The Institute wants the world to know:
A) Playing, being playful, is the healthiest way to spend your time (after feeding and housing yourself).
B) The activities that evoke playful feelings are unique to each of us.
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