Silkysteps early years forum - planning ideas for play

Hi, my understanding is that these theories and all the concepts they contain introduce ideas on how play has a cycle, that for an individual to feel satisfied with their play that cycle needs to be completed, how an emotional state/frame of mind and adults intervention effects play experiences, that loose parts theory plays a signification part in 'enriching the environment and how ideas involving flexibility and adaptation applies to how it's possible to use resources differently and also in developing an individual's interpersonal non-judgemental skills.

Analysing play cycle provision by Oxfordshire.gov.uk is an excellent read, definitions and terminology is also good.

How this applies in the context of playwork may depend on your type of setting, routines, resources, areas available for play - if you offer, provide or work inDay care? childminding? creche? sessional care? out of school? breakfast club? family worker? care or play scheme?

-- Playgrounds - adventure, field, tarmac, freeplay spaces
-- Residential gardens
-- Planned play areas attached to commercial properties
-- Forest and woodland environments

The context of playwork is also that of being wholly inclusive, promotes equality, diversity, children's abilities, play and children's right to play, appropriate opportunities to participate in risk, discourages interference/guidance that adulterates or prematurely terminates play, supports and promotes the sector's principles, works to support child development, provides access to a variety of rich stimulating play environments, respects children, understands the adult's role and the responsibility to act with appropriate responsiveness, enables play to happen freely for its own sake.

These theories highlight the importance of play in contrast to the effects of play deprivation and poverty and explores what constitutes child-led, child initiated, awareness for and of a child's own agenda, choice, decision making, content and containment.

Psycholudic is a word that describes and explores a state of mind prior to, during, at the end of and after play - psycho and ludic.

Playwork - theory and practice on amazon, Fraser Brown (2003) page 53 defines compound flexibility as 'the interrelationship between a flexible/adaptable environment and the gradual development of flexibility/adaptability in the child'.

Flexibility and Playwork by Fraser Brown - this PDF contains a compound flexibility chart on the last page that maps the ideal cycle of development - is good to contrast against the cycle of play that psychludics is - to ludemos sorry xx it might help if you look at other's views of this - google search for play cycle

If it helps this is a basic analogy that might help show how an experience you've had relates to the play cycle ..

Have you ever been outside lying on a lawn of grass, looked around and saw a friend's hand lying upturned motionless, picked some grass strands, sprinkled them over their hand then watched for a reaction .. if your friend repays this act with the same grass sprinkling and you both stay in the same place laughing in joint appreciation the play frame doesn't change - expand or diminish. If one had got up and 'stormed off dysplay may of occured. If you both stand to chase each other still throwing grass the play frame changes by including new boundaries .. the immediate grassed area maybe, daisy flowers & leaves as well as grass and can put expectational boundaries/rules in place for behaviour .. no grass in face maybe

Where additional friends, person or object joins or is included by the original players a situation of play 'flow evolves. Annihalation/total end of this play may occur when everyone makes the joint decision to stand/move off .. maybe to find a bench and table for writing/ examine study books ..

'Adulterating in this alternative example could be where a boss/teacher/manager enters your area and alters the play focus by explaining verbally where no verbal interaction was occuring how the green in grass is chlorophyll and how if you all stand now to collect and compress enough grass you'll be able to make a dye that can be used to stain fabric .. or maybe to say that your break is over and pay is docked at xx per minute!

Metalude
Play drive
Play cue
Play frame
Play return
Play flow
Annihalation
Adulteration
Dysplay

These documents may help more..

Children without play - compound flexibility and theory of loose parts in play
What is playwork factsheet from NCB
Reseach on the benefits of play and playwork - from playscotland
Free play in early childhood
Best play (2000) from the freeplaynetwork

I hope this helps xx