The UK has a rich history of supporting free play in outdoor spaces, usually known as adventure playgrounds. Engage for Education is a Scottish group that is looking for opinions from the public about different facets of education, and they use the feedback they gather to try and initiate change within the government. They recently posted a piece that Juliet wrote on free play.
She talks about so many things that are missing from education: open-ended play, reflection time, inquiry, and nature. She also addresses the link between natural, open-ended play and behavioral issues. She shares the perfect quote from Play England:
“Playing is central to children’s physical, psychological and social well-being. Whilst playing, children can experience real emotions, create their own uncertainty, experience the unexpected, respond to new situations and adapt to a wide variety of situations. Play enables children to form friendships and attachments to adults and to places, allowing for the development of familiarity and intimacy with both. It can provide opportunities for independent learning and building confidence, resilience, self-esteem and self-efficacy.”
Head over to Engage For Education to read Juliet's piece, and perhaps to join the conversation!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks so much for joining the conversation!