"A significant contribution to the continuing exploration of the issues surrounding the learning potential of young children's play. Holland's writing is engaging, her subject is of considerable interest, and her approach succeeds in challenging many of the taken-for-granted assumptions in several areas of the debate. Early childhood educators, those preparing to become early childhood educators, and those who accompany them on this journey will find much that is worthwhile and provocative in this book." Discourse "This book will be a valuable support to all practitioners who do not enjoy 'policing' children's play themes." Nursery World War, weapon and superhero play has been banned in many early childhood settings for over 30 years. This book explores the development and application of a zero tolerance approach through the eyes of children and practitioners. The author challenges the key rationale for linking aggressive play themes to violent behaviour. She examines play where children are allowed to construct weapons and enact goodies/baddies and superhero scenarios with sensitive adult guidance, and explores the generally positive experiences of children and practitioners. Rather than reading this form of play as the beginning of the slippery slope towards anti-social behaviour, readers are invited to view it as an entry point to imaginative play and social development. We don't play with guns here is a fascinating and insightful contribution to this area of much debate in the early childhood community. The book is key reading for early childhood practitioners, teachers, students, parents and policy makers.

Rethinking Superhero and Weapon Play offers a fresh and knowledgeable insight into children’s fascination with superheroes and weapon play. It explores what lies at the heart of superhero and weapon play and why so many children are drawn to this contentious area of children’s play. This innovative book offers: A detailed look at why many early years professionals and teachers are cautious about superhero and weapon play. Does weapon play make children more violent? Do ‘goodies versus baddies’ stories make children more confrontational? Do superheroes offer positive gender role-models? The book tackles these questions and suggests some alternative perspectives, as well as offering practical advice about keeping children’s superhero and weapon play positive and productive. An exploration of how superhero and weapon play relates to the development of children’s moral values, moral principles and moral reasoning; the building of children’s co-operation, empathy and sense of community; and the development of children’s sense of self and self-esteem. Discussion of the deep moral themes that lie within superhero narratives, and how superhero characters and narratives can be used to enhance and deepen children’s understanding of good character, moral responsibility, attachment, prejudice and ill-treatment, and why it is important to be good in the first place. A wealth of learning opportunities and suggestions of ways to use superheroes to advance children’s moral, philosophical and emotional thinking This book is an excellent resource for those studying or working in early years or primary education who wish to understand the phenomenon of children’s superhero and weapon play and make the most of children’s enthusiasm for it. “Warm, funny, smart, and honest, the argument made in Steven Popper’s book astutely, and with a sharp eye for detail, teases out many subtle reflections on morality, childhood development and the paradoxes of human nature, through the lens of our much-loved Superhero narratives. He is able, through nuanced and well-supported argument, drawn from both theory and practice, and from pedagogy and real life, to present a compelling and detailed account of the ways in which these stories might interface with the moral development of children. The book offers a rich, and articulate narrative of its own, which ‘aims at the good’ in its desire to propose that immersion in such superhero ‘narrative play’ can teach children about ethics, social responsibility, and what it is to be ‘human’. This is also a wonderful contribution to debates around the role of mass media in promoting critical thinking and enquiry among children.” Dr. Sheena Calvert, Senior Lecturer, University of Westminster, UK “This book authoritatively assesses the virtues of engaging in superhero play with young children. It argues that far from damaging children and encouraging them to adopt unthinking, aggressive behaviours superhero play is an implicitly moral activity. It encourages children to explore profound moral and ethical thinking. This book is both a well-researched account of the appeal that superhero play has for children of both sexes and a practical guide to how such play can be used imaginatively in early years settings.” Rob Abbott, Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood and Education, University of Chichester, UK

"I hope this book will inspire early years practitioners, lecturers and trainers to stop and think in the hustle and bustle of daily practice, to take a fresh look at the play of these very young children. This book does not claim to have all the answers but seeks to challenge practitioners to observe closely and respond to babies as they begin to play."Elinor Goldschmied, author of People under Three: Young Children in Day Care This book focuses on the need to equip practitioners to meet the play needs of children in today’s early years settings. With babies and very young children increasingly being cared for in out-of-home care settings, it is essential for early years practitioners to be responsive and reflective to ensure that these young children’s needs are met in an appropriate way. Beginning to Play explores the young child’s right to a high quality, multi-sensory play environment where play really can begin. It builds on Goldschmied’s concept of Treasure Basket play, which involves a wide variety of everyday objects gathered together to stimulate all five senses of babies and young children. The book features detailed observations of babies beginning to play at and beyond the treasure basket. These observations support readers in offering rich play materials and experiences. Providing valuable insights and practical support, this reader-friendly book: Encourages practitioners to reflect on and review their own current practice. Supports readers in recognising and responding to babies’ signals and communication Emphasises the need for emotional well-being to enable babies and young children to begin to play and examines the effects of non-responsive care on babies and young children Beginning to Play is essential reading for practitioners working with children from birth to three, students on Early Childhood Studies courses, and other readers who are eager to increase their knowledge about children from birth to three.

"Robert Orr... has achieved the balance of evidenced-based practice with the integration of the concept of ordinariness. This work is a must for not only those working with children with an expressed extra special need, but also all nurses who work with people who have a learning disability." Helen Laverty, Health Lecturer, University of Nottingham "This is a slim, accessible and powerful read with a refreshing message... I strongly recommend this as a thoughtful, poignant and often humorous read for all people working with or caring for children, young people and adults with complex needs." PHLD Link "innovative and bold... A wide range of ideas and opinions are introduced at a good pace, and the writing is elegant and engaging - sure to be attractive to a wide range of readers. ...Robert Orr...stimulated us to think in a new way about how some people with complex needs may or may not view the world...My Right to Play will be a valuable addition to the field -...to our thinking on multiple disability" Eye Contact This lively and accessible book provides a take on life from the perspective of a child who has no sight and no speech and who uses a wheelchair because of physical disabilities. The book: Offers a glimpse into the thoughts of such a child, recognizing that family and support workers sometimes get things right and sometimes don't Enables people new to disability work to avoid pitfalls and take short cuts in becoming interesting and useful to a child with complex needs Examines the puzzling behaviour often encountered when working with children who are dependent on others for the ordinary aspects of daily life Compassionate, sympathetic and down to earth, My Right to Play is invaluable reading for a wide ranging audience including the families of profoundly disabled children, teachers, carers, therapists and medical staff.

"There are three reasons why this book deserves to be taken seriously. The first is because it concerns ‘play’, and this is a challenging and multi-faceted subject. The second reason is because it examines play during the first three years of life, which is a crucial period for the developing child in many aspects (i.e. physical, emotional, cognitive, etc.). The third reason is the book’s virtues, the most important of which are the clarity of thought displayed by its authors, the systematic descriptions of play contexts and play between children and adults, and the accessible style in which it is written.” International Journal of Early Years Education Key Times for Play takes a broad look at the importance of play for children from birth to three and sets play within the framework of a child's whole development. The book combines theory and practice and is illustrated by many examples from direct observation of children. Key Times for Play is organised in relation to key characteristics of children from birth to three, each of which are looked at in relation to how very young children play. The implications of this for how adults interact with young children and how they provide, support and develop play experiences is a major focus. A key theme of the book is the emphasis on a holistic approach to young children's play. Play is therefore looked at in relation to all aspects of the child's day and the separation of play and work and care and education is challenged. Key Times for Play is suitable for the student undertaking a level three qualification, but wishing to continue onto a degree course. It is a challenging text for these levels, but because it keeps a practical approach, it remains accessible to the reader.

Making Sense of Play straightforwardly describes how self-chosen, engaging and satisfying play is best for children. It explores how adults can best support children's free play with an approach that is holistic, inclusive and practical and offers clear tools to highlight better ways of relating to and providing for playing children. The book extends two key concepts developed by the author, the Integral Play Framework and the Play Cycle, showing how practitioners can implement these ideas on a day-to-day basis. The author makes clear how the Integral Play Framework works, how it helps makes sense of other models and how it can be used to help plan provision for playing children physically, socially, cognitively and culturally. Everyday practice with playing children is explored in line with introductory and extended understandings of the Play Cycle or 'play process'. Accessibly written with a rich range of examples showing the concepts in practice, these models are further used to explore creativity, the ways in which children play, how provision might be improved and how the approaches can be used to research practice. With its distinctive blend of theory and practice together with reflective questions, this book is essential reading for all playwork students and practitioners and helps put these innovative ideas into practice with playing children. "Perry Else's book, Making Sense of Play, is just what we might expect from one of the UK's leading playwork authors. Drawing extensively on Else's work with a number of theorists, it is thought-provoking in its content and challenging in the breadth of its scope. Those of us who value diagrams and tables as a mechanism for clarifying complex concepts will be rewarded by the format of the chapters. I recommend this book to anyone with an analytical preference, and an interest in the way societies cater for the needs of children at play." Fraser Brown, Professor of Playwork, Leeds Beckett University, UK "Perry has the special ability to write a rigorous academic book applying helpful theoretical perspectives to play without ever damaging the precious importance of uninterrupted, spontaneous child-led PLAY." Sara Knight, Forest School Association and Anglia Ruskin University, UK "Making Sense of Play is an accessible and thought-provoking book for all those who are involved or interested in children's play, whether they are practitioners, academics, students or tutors. Written in an engaging and informative manner, it offers opportunities to deepen understanding about different perspectives on play and how this knowledge can aid adults in supporting play. Notably the inclusion of activities and questions for each chapter are invaluable for consolidating understanding and applying the theory to practice." Julia Sexton, Senior Lecturer in Childhood Studies, Sheffield Hallam University, UK

This book illustrates how gender equity (and inequality) occurs in primary classrooms. It uses the findings of current research to provide teachers with recommendations for promoting equity amongst boys and girls. Each contributor summarizes recent research in the area of specialization before looking specifically at issues relevant to primary teaching and learning. The areas of the primary school covered include the National Curriculum subjects of literacy, numeracy and science, and broader topics such as working with boys, children with special educational needs, primary/secondary transition, playground cultures and children's construction of gender identities. The book uses classroom-based research to provide accessible accounts of investigations into gender and primary schooling. At the same time, it offers a critique of the whole drive towards 'evidence based' research. Boys and Girls in the Primary Classroom is aimed particularly at primary teachers and student teachers although the research will be of interest to academics and undergraduate students.