Perspectives on Play

Alliance for Childhood UK Conference Early Learning Centre London 14th February 2006

PERSPECTIVES ON PLAY

Sally Jenkinson began the day with a call for time and space for play's unfailing ability to enrich our lives and especially to secure its place in childhood. (See Kindling article P.5)  She was followed by Barbara Isaacs, a Montessori practitioner and teacher trainer, and currently the Chief Executive of Montessori International:

There are many contradictions in Dr Maria Montessori's writings that have created confusion as to whether her approach is pro-play or not.  It may help to know that the wonderfully rich Reggio Emilia movement grew out of Montessori origins. Dr Montessori's curriculum came directly out of her observations of the child.  It is clear that children need the support of a sensitive adult who doesn't lose the children's initiative by giving too much guidance.  She stressed the importance of active learning by doing, against the late 19th century pattern of seeing children as passive learners.  Children are the keepers of human potential in their rich imagination that can be opened up for the rest of life.   We can say that the child is the agent of world peace.

Christine Parker is the head of Caverstede Early Years Centre in Peterborough.  She was pleased to report that the training for leaders of the new Children's Centres now includes the importance of play.  It is politically important that we keep promoting this.

We must support parents and carers in appreciating their children and their needs. Observation is vitally important as children show us what they need.  There is pedagogy of listening to children and of letting them explore their own theories of life. We should allow risk taking and the possibility of failure.  Children need the freedom to make mistakes, in spite of a perception that they should not be allowed to fail.  Children need a rich environment to initiate play and to revisit it.  For play, children need time, space and an interested adult.

Watching children at play in her setting, Christine can see that children are interested in a variety of subjects, Play switches from one theme to another, and nothing is taboo.  This can leave adults fearful of not being in charge. However the value of play is now informed through theory.  Following the work of the early pioneers there is now a wealth of research.

Discussion Session Watching video footage of children at play, we can see how much time it takes to get somewhere.  This would be interesting to parents.  Challenging and anti-social play behaviour is less threatening to parents if they have an understanding of it and an involvement in their children's play.  We should frame what children do in a way that makes it valuable to parents too.  The early years experience can give parents a voice which they can take on into primary school, where play is much less valued.  This is especially true for parents with children with additional needs. Parents sometimes do not know how much they should get involved in play and there is danger in too much or too little.  Compare the effect of the adult working next to the child, to that of the adult giving quality time.  Our children are often over stimulated and under exercised, so they cannot sleep well.

In the UK there has, in the last 6-7 years, been a greater recognition of the value of play in childhood, but there is pressure for early academic learning, despite all the evidence.  There is a gap between the good work for play done by nurseries and children's centres, and what children find when they begin school and meet SATS requirements. Even in countries where 6 or later has been the usual school starting age, this is now under attack. Play is un-markable and immeasurable, so it doesn't fit well with the current culture, but research among parents shows that we want our children to enjoy learning rather than be pushed.  We need active research which gives qualitative data rather than purely quantitative.

Contribution from Sierra Leone Abu Mansarey represents a charity working with war traumatised children where guns, drugs and rape have been a routine part of children's lives. (see pg. 52)  The first thing offered is medical care, and play follows after this, particularly the opportunity to play out the horrors of the past.  They now have a Steiner Waldorf School for children from 6 to 14, and have arranged for many orphaned and lost children to be adopted back into their communities.  The Alliance for Childhood has supported this project with publicity and dissemination of their endeavours.  We should be aware how the proliferation of war toys, television and films promotes a running away from nature and compromises what children can do. (More information on News from Partners section of the web site: www.allianceforchildhhod.org.uk)

The work of the Alliance for Childhood Christopher Clouder presented this as a network of advocates for a fulfilled and healthy childhood, not a formal organization as such. By cooperating in this free way we can be reminded that we are not alone in our initiatives.  The only centre for the Alliance is in people's hearts and minds, where we can create more peace and understanding.   Such a network allows communication and sharing of experience and research to take place, for example in events like this conference. We should remember that childhood remains a permanent human faculty however old we may become in biological terms. The Alliance is built on the  quality of trust - anyone can become a partner who is  working for children in some way, who endorses  the 1989 UN Convention  on the Rights of the Child (CRC) , and who has had a personal a conversation with another founding Alliance partner, to understand and support how the Alliance works.

Next Steps - Sue Palmer's book 'Toxic Childhood' has been suggested as a basis for a future event in this country.

An alternative theme which emerged is that of 'Questions of Parenting' - sharing our observations with parents on what we should do for children and why.  Any articles on this can be sent by e-mail to be added to the Alliance web site.  This web site is a valuable open resource, sharing articles, research world wide. And it would be helpful if more people who found useful material would send it the Alliance office for inclusion: info(at)allianceforchildhood.org.uk

It is proposed that we have an autumn conference in the same venue of the Early Childhood Centre, London on Tuesday 3rd October this year.