Play

Biophilia is a term invented by psychologist Erich Fromm to describe the love of life and living systems. Edward O. Wilson, a Pulitzer Prize winning author and Harvard biologist, expanded on the meaning and emphasis of biophilia believing that the human love of nature and animals is a genetic result of evolutionary processes. The love of nature, suggested to be genetically encoded in humans, was further investigated in The Biophilia Hypothesis, edited by Wilson and Stephen Kellert.1

• 1. Ellis-Christensen. “What is Biophilia?” WiseGeek. < http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-biophilia.htm > 29 Sep. 2011.

One of the most popular and enduring types of games are board games. Also called table games, board games have a set of rules governing the play that usually have a defined beginning and end as well as a competitive element in trying to beat the other player. The games are played on game boards, and there is a huge variety of games suitable for play by children and adults depending on their complexity.1

• 1. Whitehill, Bruce. “What is a Game?” The Big Game Hunter. < http://thebiggamehunter.com/main-minu-bar/welcome/what-is-a-game/ > 9 Sep. 2011.

Chicago Children's Museum is a not-for-profit, hands-on museum whose mission is to “create a community where play and learning connect.”1 Believing that meaningful play is how children begin to learn, they have formed a safe gathering place where “families, educators, caregivers, and staff come together to discover, explore, collaborate, celebrate, inspire, and learn through play.”2

• 1. “Chicago's #1 Children's Museum!” Personal correspondence from Chad Mertz to Playground Professionals. 6 Apr. 2012.
• 2. “Our Vision Starts with Play.” Annual Report 2010. p. 11. Chicago Children's Museum. < http://www.chicagochildrensmuseum.org/CCM-AR-FY10.pdf > 6 Apr. 2012.

Climbing is an activity that children enjoy from an early age. Most children find climbing fun and strive to accomplish reaching the highest point possible to view the world around them. Exploration is an important part of climbing, whether they are climbing a tree or scaling a rock wall. They climb for excitement and the feeling of achievement when they overcome challenges, test their abilities, and show off for others. Peer pressure and encouragement from others often motivates children to climb structures and accept challenges. Children are also found playing on climbing structures as they engage in dramatic play and chase games.1

• 1. Frost, Joe L., Pei-San Brown, John A. Sutterby, Candra D. Thornton.

The game of dodgeball has been a popular childhood activity on the school playground as well as in physical education classes for years. Originally, the game was played primarily by elementary school children, but in recent years it has become a popular game for older children and adults in the form of dodgeball leagues and tournaments.1

• 1. “How to play DodgeBall.” Cool Games Live. < http://www.coolgameslive.com/Kids-Backyard-Games/Kids/Outdoor-Games/How-to-play-DodgeBall/menu-id-53.html > 23 June 2011.

Manufactured by the Ohio Art Company, the Etch A Sketch is a mechanical drawing toy that has been a popular classic toy for over 50 years.  First marketed in 1960, this remarkably simple device still maintains the original basic concept with little change to the design. The Etch A Sketch was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1998 for its enduring popularity. In 2003, the Toy Industry Association named the Etch A Sketch to its Century of Toys List commemorating the 100 most memorable and creative toys of the 20th century.1

• 1. “Etch A Sketch.” TargetStudy.com. < http://targetstudy.com/knowledge/invention/151/etch-a-sketch.html > 29 March 2012.

Four square has been a popular playground game for years. It has also been called box ball and Kings corners, and although there is little verified history of the game, it is thought to have been played in some form since the turn of the 20th century when it was mentioned in children’s books. Because it is a fast paced ball game that is easy to play with no time constraints, it has been a great game to play during recess.1

• 1. “Four Square/Box Ball Rules, History, Tips & Equipment.” Sportsvite. < http://sportsvite.com/sports/FourSquare_BoxBall/rules > 5 Oct. 2011.

The Frisbee is a plastic flying disc that has been enjoyed as a recreational toy for people of all ages, whether in the backyard, at the park, or on the beach. They are typically used as a game of catch with the Frisbee spinning through the air when thrown.

Games with rules is a level of play that imposes rules that must be followed by the players. It requires self-regulation by the children who play, so they can successfully follow the rules and curb their own personal ego needs. Games with rules are often characterized by logic and order, and as children grow older they can begin to develop strategy and planning in their game playing.1

• 1. Frost, Joe L., Pei-San Brown, John A. Sutterby, Candra D. Thornton. The Developmental Benefits of Playgrounds. Olney, MD: Association for Childhood Education International, 2004. p. 25.

The children’s game of hopscotch has been a popular playground activity for years. With the basic idea of not treading on lines, variations of the game are played around the world. The English name refers to hopping over the “scotch,” which is a line or scratch in the ground. Lines are drawn in a variety of patterns of squares for the children to hop in with a particular order determined.1

• 1. “Hopscotch.” Britannica Online Encyclopedia. < http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/271606/hopscotch > 26 May 2011.

A favorite winter pastime of children through the years has been ice skating. Once enjoyed primarily as a fun recreational activity on a frozen lake or river, ice skating has also developed into competitive events, such as speed skating, figure skating, and ice hockey.

Interactive play environments involve a combination of elements that interact with each other as children play. Natural materials, such as sand and water, allow for hands-on, active manipulation that enhances learning as well as the play experience.1 Playing outdoors offers a rich variety of play opportunities with natural elements, such as plants, trees, flowers, dirt, mud, animals, and insects.

• 1. Frost, Joe L., Pei-San Brown, John A. Sutterby, Candra D. Thornton. The Developmental Benefits of Playgrounds Olney, MD: Association for Childhood Education International, 2004. p. 206.

The jump rope is a familiar children’s toy on the playground. It has been a popular toy for centuries and was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2000. While rope skipping has been seen in many cultures around the world, early Dutch settlers brought the activity to America in the 17th century where it began as a boy’s activity. By the 18th century girls were also jumping ropes and adding rhythmic songs, such as “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around, Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground” and “Cinderella, dressed in yellow, went up stairs to kiss a fellow.”1

• 1. “Jump Rope.” National Toy Hall of Fame. < http://www.toyhalloffame.org/toys/jump-rope > 11 Nov. 2011.

The popularity of children’s construction toys grew from simple wooden blocks to the development of Lincoln Logs in the early 1900s. Lincoln Logs are considered a classic American toy and were honored by being inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1999 for their enduring popularity.1 They are still produced today using the original design of small, interlocking notched wooden logs made of varying lengths that allow children to build structures with doors, windows, and roofs.2

• 1. “Lincoln Logs.” National Toy Hall of Fame. < http://www.toyhalloffame.org/toys/lincoln-logs > 27 Oct. 2011.
• 2. Leman, Christie. “About Lincoln Logs.” eHow.com. < http://www.ehow.com/about_4675109_lincoln-logs.html > 27 Oct. 2011.

Marbles are small perfectly round objects that have been played with by children down through the ages. There is evidence of marble games being played by the ancient Egyptians, Aztecs, Romans, and Greeks. Although some early games may have been played with stones and nuts, there have also been small clay balls found in many prehistoric ruins.1

• 1. “History of Marbles.” iMarbles.com. < http://imarbles.com/historyofmarbles.php > 3 Dec. 2010.

Nature play is child-initiated, unstructured play in “wild” areas, like the vacant lot next door, the neighborhood park, or a wooded area with a stream. Building tree houses, wading in creeks, and catching frogs and butterflies are enjoyable play activities in natural outdoor settings.1

• 1. “Nature Play.” Green Hearts Institute for Nature in Childhood. < http://www.greenheartsinc.org/Nature_Play.html > 30 Aug 2010.

Open-ended play allows children to express themselves in play freely and creatively, not bound by preset limitations.1 Playing with open-ended materials with multiple uses and limitless possibilities, such as molding clay, wet sand, paint, blocks and other loose parts, allow for imaginative play. There are no rules to follow, no expectations, no specific problems to solve, and no pressure to produce a finished product when engaging freely in open-ended play.2

• 1. Frost, Joe L., Pei-San Brown, John A. Sutterby, Candra D. Thornton. The Developmental Benefits of Playgrounds. Olney, MD: Association for Childhood Education International, 2004. p.149.
• 2. Drew, Walter F. “Endless Possibilities.

Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is a non-profit public broadcasting television service, which was founded in 1970. The programming aired on PBS is produced and created by organizations and individuals and not by PBS. In the fall of 2000, The Institute for Play (IFP) created The Promise of Play, three one-hour documentaries to be aired on PBS as a miniseries. The IFP worked with InCA Productions of San Francisco, California. The executive producers were Dr. Stuart Brown and David Kennard. Helping with the production were Professor Brian Sutton-Smith, noted play researcher and theorist; renowned primatologist Jane Goodall; early childhood expert Alice Meckley; and the world-renowned Dr. Patch Adams.

The Promise of Play is broken into three episodes:

Pretend play is a form of symbolic play where children use objects, actions or ideas to represent other objects, actions, or ideas using their imaginations to assign roles to inanimate objects or people.

Toddlers begin to develop their imaginations, with sticks becoming boats and brooms becoming horses. Their play is mostly solitary, assigning roles to inanimate objects like their dolls and teddy bears.1

• 1. Frost, Joe L., Pei-San Brown, John A. Sutterby, Candra D. Thornton, The Developmental Benefits of Playgrounds Olney, MD: Association for Childhood Education International, 2004. p. 23.

Recreation is defined in the dictionary as a refreshment by means of some pastime, diversion, exercise, or other activity that results in relaxation and enjoyment.1 Research has shown that recreation improves the quality of life for individuals, raising their overall satisfaction with life. It can also help counteract stress and contribute to an individual’s health and wellness.2

• 1. “Recreation.” Dictionary.com. < http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/recreation > 12 Nov. 2010.
• 2. “Recreation.” Psychology Wiki. < http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Recreation > 12 Nov. 2010.

Rock climbing is a fun and challenging activity for children that can be enjoyed on natural rock features and on artificial climbing walls. Climbing walls are seen as a good way for children to begin climbing, because they offer a safe environment for learning the techniques of rock climbing before they attempt the challenges of mountain and rock climbing outdoors with their families.1

• 1. McLaughlin, Mike. “Rock Climbing for Kids.” Livestrong.com. < http://www.livestrong.com/article/112254-rock-climbing-kids/ > 22 Oct. 2010.

Rough and tumble play has been defined as physically vigorous behaviors, such as chase and play fighting, that are accompanied by positive feelings between the players. This play type was first named by anthropologist Karl Groos in his books “Play of Animals” (1898) and “Play of Man” (1901).1

• 1. Jarvis, Pam. “ʽRough and Tumble’ Play: Lessons in Life.” Evolutionary Psychology. < http://www.epjournal.net/filestore/ep043303462.pdf > 10 Nov. 2010.

Scaffolding is an instructional technique that provides support to a learner to build on his prior knowledge helping him internalize new concepts or perform more difficult tasks.1 The process is much like a scaffolding used as a temporary support system for a building until the task is completed and it can stand on its own. The assistance provided by a more knowledgeable person to help another learn to perform a task is a temporary framework that is gradually removed as the learner masters the task.2

• 1. Coffey, Heather. “Scaffolding.” Learn NC. < http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/5074 > 28 Oct. 2010.
• 2. Lipscomb, Lindsay, Janet Swanson, and Anne West. “Scaffolding. Emerging Perspectives on Learning, Teaching andTechnology.” The University of Georgia.

The Slinky toy has been enjoyed by generations of children since its introduction in 1946. It is a simple toy made of a coiled spring that is advertised with words to describe the many actions children can make it do: walk, bounce, spring, juggle, flip, and jiggle. The Slinky is described with the slogan, “The original walking spring toy walks down stairs,” and this feat fascinates children and adults alike when demonstrated.1

• 1. “Slinky Spring Toys.” Poof-Slinky. < http://www.poof-slinky.com/Online-Store/Category/2/Slinky/ > 12 Jan. 2012.

Whether trying to cool off in warm weather or competing in a sporting event, swimming is enjoyed by children and adults alike and is listed as the second most popular sports activity in the United States. Swimming is great exercise, offers physical and mental health benefits, and is fun for the whole family.1

• 1. “Health Benefits of Water-Based Exercise.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. < http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/health_benefits_water_exercise.html > 9 Feb. 2012.

Symbolic play is the ability of children to use objects, actions or ideas to represent other objects, actions, or ideas as play. A child may push a block around the floor as a car or put it to his ear as a cell phone.1

• 1. “Foundation: Symbolic Play” California Department of Education. < http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/itf09cogdevfdsym.asp > 20 Aug. 2010.

Tetherball is a game that has been popular on playgrounds, schoolyards, and summer camps for years. The game involves two players who attempt to hit a ball attached to a pole by a rope in opposite directions until one of them wraps the rope completely around the pole and the ball stops. Tetherball can be enjoyed by school-aged children and adults alike with varying levels of fitness and very little expense.1

• 1. Norman, Paul A.”Tetherball Games.” Livestrong.com. < http://www.livestrong.com/article/168318-tetherball-games/ > 3 Nov. 2011.

Play can be very therapeutic for children. Play is a way of removing stress and having fun. Play implies freedom, safety, trust, and a sense of well-being. Adding play to children’s lives leads to less depression, less anxiety, less stress, and less aggression. Play is fundamentally important for the emotional health of children and is a way for them to express emotion that cannot be said with words. Children who have been play-deprived or have experienced trauma or abuse will experience more fear, more pent up emotions, and more intense conflicts with others.1

• 1. “Therapeutic Value of Play.” Abuse Consultants. < http://www.abuseconsultants.com/rdirctrl/index.asp?PageDirect=PlayValue > 1 Nov. 2010.

Caroline Pratt, an American innovative educator who was part of the progressive movement in the early 1900s, is credited for developing wooden blocks, called unit blocks. They were similar to the blocks used by Friedrich Froebel in his kindergartens.1 Using play with physical objects as the basis for learning revolutionized early childhood education at that time, and unit blocks continue to be used in classrooms today.2

• 1. “Caroline Pratt. wooden unit blocks.” Froebel Web. < http://www.froebelweb.org/web2027.html > 30 Nov. 2011.
• 2. Hewitt, Karen. “Blocks As a Tool for Learning: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives.” Young Children. January 2001. NAEYC. < http://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/Hewitt0101.pdf > 30 Nov. 2011.

The beginnings of the Waldorf early childhood movement stemmed from the desire to change the educational methods used in Germany following World War I. A group of workers at the Waldorf-Astoria Cigarette Factory in Stuttgart wanted a better method of teaching for their children than the harsh methods of Prussian pedagogy that had been used. They asked Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian scientist and philosopher, to design a teaching method where teachers would teach out of love and respect for their students.1

• 1. Schwartz, Eugene. “Anthroposophy and Waldorf Education: The Kindergarten Years.” knol. < http://knol.google.com/k/anthroposophy-and-waldorf-education-the-kindergarten-years > 13 April 2011.

Where Do The Children Play? (WDCP?) is a PBS documentary, a corresponding study guide, and an outreach project promoting the importance of open-ended play for the development of healthy children. Child-initiated play time in natural play spaces has been diminishing due to the “stranger danger” fears of adults, the trend toward only teacher-led instruction time in the schools, the decrease in free time due to adult organized activities, the increasingly limited access to wild and semi-wild nature play spaces for children, and the lure of electronic games.1

• 1. “Where Do The Children Play? Project.” Where Do The Children Play? Project. < https://sites.google.com/site/wheredothechildrenplayproject/ > 5 July 2011.