Abstract
This book sets out to explore the practitioner’s role in supporting play in the early years, within the context of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) (DCSF, 2008). Its underpinning belief is that ‘play should form the basis and be at the forefront of early years practice’ (p. 1) and the authors draw on their own experience, as well as a range of theory and research, to demonstrate how their beliefs about play are intrinsic to the EYFS. The book is organized in four sections that reflect the four themes of the EYFS (the Unique Child, Positive relationships, Enabling Environments and Learning & Development) with each section preceded by a case study developed by the authors as a composite of observations of children and their families. Each section contains three chapters reflecting different aspects of play practice that conclude with a CPD activity suitable for practitioners in an early years setting to undertake as a whole team activity to further advance their understanding of their role in supporting play.
The Unique Child
This section begins with a case study of children’s play in an adult resourced environment. It explores the meaning of play within an early years context and issues that arise from adult involvement and participation in play, drawing on playwork theory to inform understanding of play within the EYFS. It also considers the impact of play provision on the individual child, and the role of the key person in supporting and enabling play. The CPD activities focus on the developing practitioners’ reflective skills in understanding the nature and benefits of play, and their role in supporting it.
Positive Relationships
The case study preceding this section documents support provided to a growing family, focusing on the impact of that support on the mother. It highlights the importance, and benefits, of a collaborative partnership with parents that emphasizes the importance of play as a vehicle for learning and development. The CPD activities will support practitioners to reflect on and develop their partnership with parents and their understanding of the importance of meaningful relationships with children in the setting.
Enabling Environments
Here the case study describes an outdoor play episode in a nursery, and considers the role of the practitioner in resourcing the play environment. It raises the question of whether play environments are resourced to meet practitioners’ or children’s needs (p. 109) and considers the benefits of introducing the opportunity for children to take risks as part of their play. The CPD activities ask practitioners to consider their own attitudes to risk and to planning both the environment and the play opportunities.
Learning & Development
The final case study describes an episode in an early years setting where a practitioner becomes involved in children’s play. The following chapters consider how children can be seen to learn in a play context, exploring the role of creativity in play, and the conflict between the desire to observe and support play and the need to make judgements based on observations of play as an indicator of learning and achievement. The CPD activities provide frameworks within which practitioners can inform their understanding of what they see children doing.
Summary
This book will provide a useful tool for lead practitioners and Early Years Professionals (EYPs) in early years settings to examine their play practice within the context of the EYFS and in the light of early years theory and pedagogy. Each chapter provides a brief introduction to current theory and research that will hopefully inspire the reader to undertake the further enquiry and study that will enable them to ‘consider the ‘‘theory and processes’’ . . . and how these can be transferred into your setting’ (p. 61). It touches briefly on theories relating to involvement, attachment, non-directive play, play types, and risk, citing, amongst others, Bob Hughes, Colwen Trevarthen, Anna Craft, Iram Siraj-Blatchford, Brian Sutton-Smith and Barbara Rogoff.
This book is not an academic text in that it does not advance our knowledge base about play in the early years through either research or the development of new ways of understanding and conceptualizing the play experiences of children. It asks more questions than it answers about the nature of play within the EYFS, taking a whistle-stop tour through theory and pedagogy relating to play in the early years. However, it does achieve its stated aim of supporting practitioners to reflect on and improve their own understanding of play within the context of the EYFS, through reference to case studies in analysis of theory, and through the CPD activities.