1st Edition
Young Children's Play and Creativity Multiple Voices
This book draws on the voices of practitioners, academics and researchers to examine young children’s play, creativity and the participatory nature of their learning. Bringing together a wide range of perspectives from the UK and internationally, it focuses on the level of engagement and exploration involved in children’s play and how it can be facilitated in different contexts and cultures. This new reader aims to challenge thinking, promote reflection and stimulate further discussion by bringing together research and practice on play and creativity.
Divided into two parts, Part I is written by researchers and academics and explores key themes such as creative meaning making, listening to children’s voices, risk and spaces, children’s rights, play and technology. Part II is authored by Early Childhood professionals and reveals how practitioners have responded to the issues surrounding play and creativity. Each chapter is contextualised by an introduction to highlight the key points and a list of follow-up questions is also included to encourage reflection and debate.
Drawing on the wide-ranging writing of academics, practitioners and researchers, this book is an invaluable resource for students, practitioners and all those who are interested in the essence of play and creativity, what it means for children, and the far-reaching benefits for their well-being, learning and development.
List of figures and tables
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Part 1: Researching young children’s play and creativity
1. Reflecting on children ‘playing for real’ and ‘really playing’ in the early years
DEBORAH ALBON
2. Learning to play, or playing to learn? Children’s participation in the cultures of homes and settings
LIZ BROOKER
3. Domestic play collaborations in diverse family contexts
CATHERINE CAMERON, GIULIANA PINTO, BEATRICE ACCORTI GAMANNOSSI, ROGER HANCOCK AND SOMBAT TAPANYA
4. ‘Where’s the bear? Over there!’ – creative thinking and imagination in den making
NATALIE CANNING
5. Creative little scientists: Exploring pedagogical synergies between inquiry based and creative approaches in Early Years science
TERESA CREMIN, ESME GLAUERT, ANNA CRAFT, ASHLEY COMPTON AND FANI STYLIANIDOU
6. Young children’s expressions of spirituality in creative and imaginary play
GILL GOODLIFF
7. 5x5x5 =creativity: Principles, learning and our legacy
PENNY HAY
8. Children at play: Digital resources in home and school contexts
LISA KERVIN AND IRINA VERENIKINA
9. Making connections – young children exploring early friendships through play
JOHN PARRY
10. Playful meaning making in music with young children and parents
ALISON STREET
11. Voices in the park: Researching the participation of young children in outdoor play in early years settings
TIM WALLER
12. Listening to young children: Multiple voices, meanings and understandings
ELIZABETH WOOD
Part 2: Practitioners responding to young children’s play and creativity
13. Equality inclusion and the Persona Doll approach
BABETTE BROWN
14. Taking the initiative: creative collaborations for family literacy
TARA COPARD WITH ROGER HANCOCK
15. The role of environments and spaces in the pedagogy of Pistoia
DONATELLA GIOVANNINI WITH INTRODUCTION BY MYRA BARRS
16. Mud, glorious mud! – Mud kitchens and more
MENNA GODFREY
17. ‘Because we like to’: Young children’s experiences hiding in their home environment
CARIE GREEN
18. Using digital resources to document young children’s everyday moments
KAREN HORSLEY
19. Count on play: the importance of play in making sense of mathematics
LINDA POUND
20. The role of art education in children’s development
JOHN OATES AND NÓRA I. RITÓK
21. ‘My Leaf is smiling at the whole world’ Exploring creativity through learner-led projects
LEE ROBERTSON
22. If you go down to the woods today: young children learning outdoors
PHILIPPA THOMPSON, JENNY BULLOSS AND STEVEN VESSEY
23. You sing, I sing, we both sing, we all sing
VANESSA YOUNG
Biography
Gill Goodliff is a Senior Lecturer in Education and Programme Leader for Early Years at The Open University. She has a background in social work with young children and families, primarily in the voluntary sector, and has extensive experience of teaching practitioners. She represents The Open University at the Early Childhood Studies Degree Network.
Natalie Canning is a Senior Lecturer in Education, Early Years at The Open University. Her background is in playwork and social work, particularly in supporting children to explore personal, social and emotional issues through play.
John Parry is a Lecturer in Education at The Open University, where he has written and chaired courses on inclusion, primary and early years practice. He has a background of extensive work experience in the early years sector, primarily as a teacher and co-ordinator of educational support services for pre-school children.
Linda Miller is Emeritus Professor, Early Years at The Open University. She has worked both with and for young children throughout her professional life as a practitioner and teacher/practitioner educator.
