Making Place for Play
Watching children play is a beautiful thing.
Through play, children explore the world and learn to take responsibility for their own choices.
Playing allows children to develop a sense of well-being, develops their emotional responses and improves their interpersonal skills.
It involves exploration and creativity, helping children think in a flexible manner, developing the creative process, language skills, and learning and problem-solving skills.
What is Play?
Play is what children and young people do in their own time, for their own reasons.
When playing, children choose what to do, how to do it and who to do it with. Play takes many forms: doing nothing in particular; doing lots; being boisterous; showing off; being contemplative; being alone; being social; being challenged; being thwarted; overcoming difficulties.
Why Play Matters
Research shows us that play is essential to children and young people’s physical, social and cognitive development. Outdoor play is particularly valuable as it provides unique opportunities to experience the elements and because of the sense of well-being and enjoyment that being outdoors can bring.
Designing for Play
At JDH we say “timber first” when it comes to outdoor play. Not only is timber low in embodies emissions research has shown that biophilic environments reduce stress, improve performance and increase student well-being.
The 10 principles for designing successful play spaces are:-
1. spaces should be ‘bespoke’, suited to the environment and the children who will play there
2. well located – play spaces should be easily accessible, supervised
3. natural - the best play spaces should be constructed from natural materials
4. challenging - build in opportunities to experience risk and challenge
5. sustainable -spaces should be robust and easily maintained. Successful play spaces allow children to manipulate natural and fabricated materials, use tools, and have access to nature
6. active - successful play spaces offer children challenge and activities that test the limits of their capabilities, including rough and tumble, sports and games, and opportunities to climb.
7. flexible- allow for the evolution of space and space that can change by its users
8. stimulating - consider providing access to music and sound, and different smells made by cooking, and plants and leaves.
9. offer movement and physical activity with space and features that allow a range of energetic and strength building play experiences.
10. social - encourage social interactions whilst still allowing children to choose whether and when to play alone or with others, to negotiate, cooperate, compete and resolve conflicts.
6. Get physical
This exciting indoor play space not only encourages movement and physical activity it also encourages a range of energetic and strength building play experiences.
Finally, Play is a child’s work. *Maria Montessori