The Resources Project works with schools to support meaningful, inclusive opportunities for social connection, mindfulness, creativity, and all kinds of play. Their award-winning, evidence-based Recess Project Changemaker’s Guide was designed to disrupt the outdated routines and replace them with healthy, inclusive and compassionate interactions. It is the product of a unique research collaboration of school […]
Child-initiated, creative play is returning after decades of erosion. Through the hard work and dedicated efforts of play activists, new opportunities for play are arising, including the use of open-ended play materials in schools, parks, nature centers, and adventure playgrounds. Over 20 play initiatives are described in this book, with dozens of photographs that illustrate […]
This research-based publication extends the knowledge base about appropriate playground materials, equipment, and use patterns. The initial chapter focuses on the importance of play, with special attention paid to contemporary research by neuroscientists that shows play is critical to children’s healthy physical, cognitive, and social development. Later chapters identify development sequences for children’s motor behaviors […]
Poor design and wasted funding characterize today’s American playgrounds. A range of factors―including a litigious culture, overzealous safety guidelines, and an ethos of risk aversion―have created uniform and unimaginative playgrounds. These spaces fail to nurture the development of children or promote playgrounds as an active component in enlivening community space. Solomon’s book demonstrates how to […]
The purpose of the Normal Course in Play is to give a conception of the scope of play and its influences on life which will challenge the student as well as give practical information. The book lays before the instructor the main facts about the play movement and program, its significance in the life of […]
In this eye opening, easy-to-follow, action-oriented book, Jason Runkel Sperling explains how to use screen-free, unstructured outdoor play and toys to increase early-age child learning opportunities and improve happiness for the whole family.You’ll learn:•How to encourage your child to enjoy active, outdoor, screen-free play •How to foster unstructured, child-led playtime •The secret to making risky […]
The Art of Roughhousing teaches parents how rough-and-tumble play can nurture close connections, solve behavior problems, boost confidence, and more. Drawing from gymnastics, martial arts, ballet, traditional sports, and even animal behavior, the authors present fifty illustrated activities for children and parents to enjoy together – everything from the “Sumo Deadlift” to the “Rogue Dumbo.”
Less screen time, more imaginative play! This children’s book is meant to encourage young children to get outdoors and play, explore, learn and grow! It’s a simple ABC style book with engaging illustrations. The back pages give families the opportunity to come up with their own ideas for creative outdoor play.
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Looking for that perfect summer distraction to get the kids out into the backyard? Learn how to set up a simple and inexpensive children’s mud kitchen in a day, allowing your children or grandchildren endless hours of plain and dirty backyard fun. Follow one father’s entertaining and informative attempt to get his children outside, offline, […]
Children must learn to pick themselves up, brush themselves off, and bounce back. But how do you allow for the physicality required to build resilience when you are tasked with children’s safety? This guide provides the tools and strategies for creating a culture of resilience, including families in the process, and keeping safety front-of-mind. Examine […]
This book is filled with skills, games, and activities for back-to-nature adventures and camping trips. It is great for all ages and abilities, from children to adults, and is a must-have for anyone working with scouts or youth groups. How to Play in the Woods is also a handy reference book for campers and outdoor […]
Outdoor play is a significant and essential aspect of a young child’s development and enjoys a renewed emphasis in early years practice, in keeping with the core principles embedded within the early years tradition. However, this emphasis may sit uneasily alongside a requirement to focus on the development of literacy and numeracy skills and supporting […]
This title was first published in 2001. Architects, landscape designers, builders, gardeners and teachers have all at some time been called upon to design a play area. However, this diversity of profession has not resulted in a diversity of design solution, as playgrounds appear to have remained virtually the same throughout the world since their […]
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, […]
Chapters include: The Nature of Play: Classical and Contemporary Theories of Play The Importance and Nurture of Play: Culture and Play; Imagination and Play; Language and Play; Sex Differences in Play; Play and Perceptual-Motor Development; Play and Play Objects; and Play and Playgrounds. The Playgrounds of America: Playground Hazards; The Traditional Playground; and Proceedings for […]
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 […]
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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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