Creating space for play

One of my MBA students (thanks Michal) connected me with this useful article about creative play and its importance in childhood development. I particularly like the list of tips for facilitating play (included below). It seems that cultural managers could use some version of this list in many situations, by substituting the word ”children” with ” staff,” ”artists,” ”board members,” ”audiences,” ”volunteers,” and the like.

Let the play begin.

Facilitating children’s play
Young children need a balance of opportunities for different kinds of play, indoors and outdoors. They need the support of knowledgeable adults and parents who do the following:

• Provide long, uninterrupted periods (45-60 minutes minimum) for spontaneous free play.
• Provide a variety of materials to stimulate different kinds of play–blocks and construction toys for cognitive development; sand, mud, water, clay, paint, and other open-ended materials for sensory play, dress-up clothes and props for pretend play; balls, hoops, climbing places, and open space for gross motor play.
• Provide loose parts for play, both indoors and out, and encourage children to manipulate the environment to support their play.
• Consider the opportunities for challenge and age-appropriate risk-taking in play.
• Ensure that all children have access to play opportunities and are included in play.
• Let children play for their own purposes.
• Play with children on their terms, taking the occasional ride down the slide, or putting on a hat and assuming a role in pretend play.
• Recognize the value of messy play, rough-and-tumble play, and nonsense play.
• Understand that children need to feel a sense of belonging to the play culture of childhood.
• Take an interest in their play, asking questions, offering suggestions, and engaging eagerly as co-players when invited.