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Older children play too
Playing, particularly in terms of children’s development, tends to receive much greater attention in the early years of children’s lives (up to the age of seven) than in later childhood. Playing is mostly associated with the behaviour of very young children, again overlooking and potentially dismissing its value for older children.
This emphasis on the role and value of play for younger children could lead adults to thinking that people grow out of playing around the age of 10, just when they move to secondary school. However, by only spending a short time in the company of teenagers it’s evident that this is clearly not true.
Older children play too explores the play of older children, particularly those in early and middle adolescence (around the ages of 11 to 16). This information sheet looks at:
- Avoiding assumptions based on age alone
- Understanding the adolescent brain
- Play behaviours of older children and their benefits
- Where older children play and why
- Barriers to play and the social consequences
- Providing for play.
Written by Mike Barclay, co-director of Ludicology which provides advice, research and training to all concerned with children’s play.
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Sourcing materials for children’s play
Simon Bazley, December 2018
Sourcing free materials for children’s play, or scrounging as it’s also known, is a must for everyone supporting children’s play. Children benefit from having lots of stuff to play with. Having resources and materials available to play with greatly increases the possibilities within any place where children are playing and why pay for them, when with imagination, they may be available for free.
This information sheet explores the types of things we could consider sourcing or scrounging, tips about how to go about it to increase our chances of success, who may be able to help, as well as stories and tips form expert scroungers from across Wales.
The information is aimed at playworkers, but it’s a useful resource for anyone working with children and teenagers.
Simon is a freelance play consultant and playwork trainer who works under the name Playful Futures.
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Practical uses of digital devices in play settings
Chris Martin, July 2018
Children like playing with digital technology – smartphones, tablets and computers. It intrigues and challenges them, offering entry into an exciting world where it appears everyone and everything is online. As playworkers we often struggle to see how this is play.
This information sheet looks at some of the issues and practical uses of digital devices in play settings. It includes top tips for dealing with children and teenagers’ use of phones and tablets in your play setting. It also provides suggestions about what to consider when developing a digital technology policy for play settings.
While much of the information is applicable to all digital devices, it focuses more on portable devices such as smartphones and tablets as these are most widely used by children and staff. The information is aimed at playworkers, but it’s a useful resource for anyone working with children and teenagers.
It also builds on the content of our Play and digital technology information sheet.
This information sheet has been written by Chris Martin. Chris is a playworker, researcher, and play activist. He is currently researching children’s interactions with mobile digital technology for his PhD at the University of Leicester.
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Reflective practice - what is it and why is it so important?
Play Wales, June 2018
This information sheet explores the principles of reflective practice, how we reflect and why it’s so important for playworkers. It also provides advice and ideas to encourage effective reflective practice, particularly when we’re finding it difficult.
Although it’s aimed at playworkers it’s also a useful resource for anyone working with children.
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Inspiring learners - how to be a more effective trainer
Play Wales, June 2018
This information sheet looks at how trainers can support learners and increase the effectiveness of playwork training. It provides clear and concise information on how playwork trainers can best support learners.
This is an updated version of the information sheet originally published in 2013.
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A playworkers guide to risk
Simon Bazley, May 2018
This information sheet includes information about providing a balanced approach to risk management in play settings by using the widely supported risk-benefit assessment approach. It also explores the current legislation and support from a wide range of sources, as well as looking at some of the current playwork theory that supports playworkers to practice as effectively as we can to extend and enhance children’s opportunities to play.
This information sheet, written by Simon Bazley, is aimed at playworkers, but is also useful for anyone with a responsibility for providing opportunities for children to play.
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Play types
Play Wales, October 2017
This information sheet explores the 16 play types – including creative play, rough and tumble, deep play and social play. It also makes brief comparisons between some of the play types. The various play types attempt to describe the full range of children’s play behaviours and how they might contribute to children’s physical, mental and emotional development. Facilitating the play types in practice to ensure children experience a range of opportunities and experiences requires space, permission and variety.
This information sheet is aimed at playworkers, but is also useful for practitioners in schoold and early years settings.
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Play, playwork and food
Sue Bradshaw, August 2017
This information sheet explores the current health agenda, play and health, how food can be provided in a playwork setting as well as attitudes and values towards food. It also includes case studies from Gwenfro Valley in Wrexham, Meriden Adventure Playground in Birmingham and Glamis Adventure Playground in London.
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Play and digital technology
Chris Martin, July 2017
This information sheet takes a critical look at children and young people’s use of mobile phones and other mobile devices, focusing on play. It also examines how children use devices in their play, as well as different perspectives and suggestions to support those working with children.
While written from a playwork perspective it is also relevant for parents and carers, other professionals working with children, and policy makers.
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Participation and consulting with children
Play Wales, June 2016
This information sheet explores participation and consulting with children in the playwork context. It also aims to consider why and how we can consult with children in a meaningful way without unnecessarily interrupting their time and freedom to play.
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Promoting physical activity through outdoor play in early years settings
Play Wales, April 2016
This information sheet explores how playing contributes to children’s physical activity levels and how early years practitioners can provide permission, time and space, as well as making materials available, for children to play outdoors. It also provides practical advice on thinking sensibly about health and safety.
The information sheet aims to support early years practitioners to provide physical activity through outdoor play in their settings.
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Why make time for play?
Play Wales, March 2016
This information sheet provides support for play providers to advocate for staffed play provision. It shows why playing is so important and explores the benefits of staffed play provision for children and the wider community.
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Playwork: what’s so special?
Play Wales, January 2016
This information sheet provides an overview of what is unique about playwork and the role of the playworker. It describes how playworkers’ work relates to the Playwork Principles in terms of facilitating children’s play and the impact of playworkers and their intervention on children’s play and the play space. It also provides a checklist for facilitating a compensatory play space.
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Building resilience - the importance of playing
Play Wales, November 2015
This information sheet explores how children’s play contributes to developing resilience and how we as adults can support children to build resilience through play. It also details how playing is an integral part of childhood.
We are publishing this information sheet to celebrate United Nations’ Universal Children’s Day (20 November) which marks the day the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was adopted in 1989.
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Play sufficiency in Wales
Play Wales, October 2015
Wales is the first country in the world to legislate for children’s play through the Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010. The Welsh Government ‘Play Sufficiency Duty’, as it has become known, places a duty on every local authority in Wales to assess for and provide sufficient play opportunities for children in their areas.
This information sheet provides a brief overview of the Play Sufficiency Duty and the assessment process that local authorities have to undertake. It also describes Welsh Government’s aim to create a play friendly country by providing time, space and permission for children to play.
The aim of this information sheet is to provide a better understanding about play sufficiency in Wales to those whose work isn’t directly involved with children’s play or who may not be familiar with the legislation.
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Hospital play
Play Wales, September 2015
This information sheet aims to describe the role of the health play specialist in terms of supporting the play process to enable sick children to adapt to the health care setting and become more participative in the care they are receiving, and it explores the different types of play interventions used to support children and their families to better understand illness and treatment. The information sheet also explains the importance of providing play opportunities and spaces for children in hospital or community settings such as children’s hospices.
We are publishing this new information sheet to mark National Play in Hospital Week 2015 (28 September – 2 October).
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Play: mental health and wellbeing
Play Wales, August 2015
This information sheet briefly explains the importance of playing for brain development and mental health as well as exploring how playing contributes to children’s emotional wellbeing and how it relates to the ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’.
We published this information sheet to celebrate Playday 2015.
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Making community events playful
Play Wales, June 2015
This information sheet aims to support communities to make their local events more playful, how to source resources and offers simple low cost ideas.
To celebrate The Eden Project Big Lunch on 7 June 2015 we have updated this information sheet. It was originally published, in partnership with Fair Share and the Community Foundation in Wales, in 2012.
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Why playing matters and what we can all do about it
Play Wales and Cadw, May 2015
This information sheet, aimed at parents and carers, explores the importance of playing outside and contact with nature for all children and their families and it provides tips for supporting children to play out confidently.
This information sheet was published to celebrate National Children's Day UK (17 May 2015)
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The Playwork Principles - an overview
Play Wales, March 2015
The information sheet aims to provide an overview of the Playwork Principles which establish the professional and ethical framework for playwork. As well as describing the development of the Playwork Principles the information sheet also briefly explores ethics and playwork.
This information sheet was published to celebrate St. David’s Day (1 March) here in Wales.
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Advocacy and communication
Play Wales, January 2015
This information sheet aims to provide an introduction to advocating for play and playwork. Aimed at everyone who has an interest in or responsibility for children’s play it offers examples of situations where we might act as advocates and suggestions of methods we can use to advocate for play and playwork.
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What is play and why is it important?
Play Wales, November 2014
The information sheet aims to answer two questions: what is play? And why is play important? The information sheet endeavours to draw together the most widely respected statements on play to provide a comprehensive analysis.
We published this information sheet to coincide with the United Nations Universal Children's Dayon 20 November 2014.
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Safeguarding children
Sue Bradshaw, March 2013
This information sheet provides policy and procedures in relation to safeguarding children for adoption and adaptation at play settings. It also includes guidelines on how to respond to disclosures and advice to support preventing children from future harm.
This is an updated version of the Safeguarding our children information sheet Play Wales published in 2008.
The production of this information sheet has been funded by the Welsh Government.
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Play: inclusive provision
Play Wales/Di Murray, March 2013
This information sheet explores the attitudinal, environmental and institutional barriers that face disabled children and young people accessing play provision – and how we as play providers and playworkers can overcome them. It also includes the latest policy information and case studies.
Play Wales worked in partnership with Di Murray to produce this information sheet. It is an updated version of the Inclusive play information sheet Play Wales published in 2007.
The production of this information sheet has been funded by the Welsh Government.
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Play deprivation: impact, consequences and the potential of playwork
Professor Fraser Brown, March 2013
This information sheet provides a definition of play deprivation, explores its impact and the implications for society. Drawing on his own research and experiences the author also explores the consequences of complete deprivation of play and the potential of playwork.
The production of this information sheet has been funded by the Welsh Government.
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The role of adults in children's play
Play Wales, March 2013
This information sheet explores why play matters and what we can all do about it. It provides support for adults in understanding how they can best provide time, space, permission and materials for children to play. It also offers suggestions about how we should take action to promote and protect children’s right to play.
The production of this information sheet has been funded by the Welsh Government.
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Play and early years: birth to seven years
Janet Moyles, March 2013
Written by Janet Moyles this information sheet explores what is play and its importance to and for children’s development in the early years (birth to seven years old). It also explores the importance of adult roles, advocacy and the child’s right to play.
The production of this information sheet has been funded by the Welsh Government.
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Play and risk
Tim Gill, March 2013
This information sheet aims to set out why a balanced, thoughtful approach to managing risks in children’s play is needed. It also aims to give an overview of risk-benefit assessment, which is widely accepted as a suitable approach.
The production of this information sheet has been funded by the Welsh Government.
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Participation of children in planning and assessment
Play Wales, July 2012
This information sheet and the following accompanying documents have been developed to support local authorities in the participation of children and young people in planning and assessment.
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Play spaces: planning and design
Play Wales, April 2012
This information sheet explores simple and inexpensive changes and longer term larger scale improvements we can all contribute towards to make play spaces more appealing to all members of the community.
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Play spaces: common complaints and simple solutions
Play Wales, March 2012
This information sheet explores simple solutions to address common complaints made about play spaces and how we can all make simple improvements to a local play area to make it more appealing to all members of the community.
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Play: health and well-being
Play Wales, March 2012
This information sheet provides information on why playing is crucial to children's health and wellbeing and explores ways to respond to children's need for more time and space for free play.
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Why playwork?
Play Wales, January 2010
This information sheet sets out why play is important and how staffed play provision supports children in local communities to access their right to play in their own neighbourhood.
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Play deprivation
Bob Hughes, Play Education, 2003
An information sheet on the effects of play deprivation. Copyright Play Education.
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