Description
Book Synopsis"[An] excellent book... With its breadth of discourse, it held my attention throughout. ... This book is informative, but also challenges views on the play experience and the playwork profession. It will be of interest to all those that work and play with young children. The place of playwork and playworkers... is described with passion: readers cannot help but be totally absorbed by this book." Early Years, Vol 24, No 1, March 2004
Children learn and develop through their play. In today's world the opportunities for that to happen are increasingly restricted. The profession of playwork seeks to reintroduce such opportunities, and so enable children to achieve their full potential.
This book brings together many leading names in the playwork field, to produce a text that has something for everyone. The in-depth exploration of a range of theoretical perspectives will appeal to both playwork students and practising playworkers. Experienced practitioners offer soun
Trade Review
"I would recommend it to experienced practitioners and playwork students, who seek to expand, update and challenge their current theoretical knowledge. There's plenty to stimulate the reflective playworker." - Miranda Walker
Table of Contents
Introduction
Part one: The roots of play and playwork
The essence of play
Making play work
the fundamental role of play in the development of social relationship skills
Towards playwork
an historical introduction to children's out-of-school play organizations in London (1860-1940)
Part two: Theories of playwork
Compound flexibility
the role of playwork in child development
Play deprivation, play bias and playwork practice
Towards a psycholudic definition of playwork
Part three: Putting theory into practice - the reflective practitioner
Professional playwork practice
Adventure playgrounds in the 21st century
Establishing play in a local authority
It's not what you know, but who you know!
Playwork in adversity
working with abandoned children
Playwork as reflective practice
Bibliography
Index.
