All about playwork

Playwork can be a full-time career or something that fits alongside study or other work. Understanding how to support children’s play is the most important task for a playworker. Playwork is different to many other professions involving work with children where the focus may be on learning, physical activity or the arts, for example.

• A belief that children are the experts about their own play
• A belief that children have a right to play
• A commitment to including all children
• A willingness to let children take the lead in their own play
• A willingness to step back when necessary so children can play in their own way
• An awareness that risk taking is an important part of play and that an adult’s role is to balance risk taking with play’s physical and emotional benefits
• An appreciation of the value of observation and how this helps adults understand children and their play
• An ability to reflect on good and bad experiences to improve playwork practice
• A creative approach to working with others
• A good understanding of how to provide resources for play.