play associate`s guide - Imagination Playground
Contents
1. e Setting the initial stage for children to play Observing children s play and identifying needed resources or problems by listening to and observing the children Sometimes animating play ideas by modestly demonstrating different play possibilities and uses of materials from the sidelines Building relationships with children and parents Promoting fair and caring behavior by their own demonstration and by gently intervening in conflicts when necessary Encouraging choice and presenting opportunities for children to extend their play Encouraging teamwork Ensuring a safe and hygienic environment play associate s guide on Py tm ayground 9 10 play sessions ratios of children to staff As a general guideline we recommend a Play Associate to child ratio of no less than one Play Associate to twenty children for ages five through twelve years old With children under five we recommend a higher Play Associate to child ratio Imagination Playground is intended for children ages two and up crowding and age groups Imagination Playground was intended to appeal to a broad range of ages and we find that children of mixed ages enjoy collaborating with our Loose Parts In some cases however when there are a large number of children of varying ages at play it may be more appropriate to create a separate area for younger children so that they aren t excluded or pushed to the sides by the older children Play Associat2. play associate s guide imaginal e ON dv ayground before you start playing Please make sure that anyone working with your Imagination Playground set reads the User Manual carefully and completes our free online training session Once you have taken our training session this guide can serve as a reference that summarizes our training materials For more information contact us at contactus Vimaginationplayground com or our toll free number 1 866 816 8608 For current playground safety standards please refer to the national standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials ASTM and the U S Consumer Product Safety Commission CPSC A Certified Playground Safety Inspector CPSI program is offered by the National Recreation and Park Association and the National Playground Safety Institute Visit www nrpa org for more information or write to 22377 Belmont Ridge Road Ashburn VA 20148 4501 or call 1 800 626 NRPA 6772 play associate s guide table of contents 4 5 9 10 14 18 What We re All About Play and Play Work The Role of the Play Associate Play Sessions References Join the Community of Play Associates what we re all about Imagination Playground encourages unstructured child directed free play the kind of play that experts say is critical to a child s intellectual social physical and emotional development This section will explain key ideas behind
3. Wed love to hear about your experiences with Imagination Playground and your efforts to encourage free play We invite you to join us as we work to bring free play to kids and communities across the nation and around the world Become a part of our community of Play Associates and participate in our online forum at http www imaginationplayground com purchase welcome play associates index html For login information and any questions about Imagination Playground please contact us at contactus imaginationplayground com Imagination Playground LLC Attn Customer Service 5 Union Square West 8th Floor New York NY 10003 1 866 816 8608 www imaginationplayground com community imaginationplayground com imaginationplayground Cal imgplayground A imgplayground SE imgplayground e Imagination E ii playground Copyright o 2012 Imagination Playground LLC All Rights Reserved www imaginationplayground com
4. flush with points of inspiration For instance you could set up one or two configurations of Loose Parts in the play area to initiate new creations Configurations should be abstract and non specific so that children can apply their own stories and ideas encouraging self directed play A Play Associate can best encourage independent thinking by responding to questions or requests for help and allowing children to create themes stories and games for themselves providing inspiration On occasion Play Associates can discretely inspire new potential uses for materials by quietly using them on the sidelines If no children are building structures for instance you might construct a small shelter of fabric draped over columns made of Blocks You might create a small waterfall using a stack of chutes The key is to modestly demonstrate rather than to direct so that children have the choice to draw from your examples into their play if they wish ending a play session As a Play Associate it is important to understand how to close out a play session to avoid making the children feel rushed lt Let the children know that cleanup time is coming ten minutes in advance You might ask them to help gather the Blocks and other Loose Parts and sort them into stacks outside your storage unit Allow approximately 20 minutes for cleanup before closing for the day Empty vessels containing water lt Follow Safety and Maintenance Checklists e
5. G IE AER Ginsburg MD Kenneth R 2007 The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent Child Bonds Pediatrics 110 1 Hough Lory 2007 Spring Einstein May Never Have Used Flashcards but He Probably Built Forts Ed Magazine lt http www gse harvard edu news_events ed 2007 spring features einstein html gt Hughes Bob 2003 Play Deprivation Fact Sheet Play Deprivation lt http www playwales org uk downloaddoc asp id 1 amp page 67 amp skin 0 gt Accessed 22 July 2010 e Marantz Henig Robin 2008 February 17 Taking Play Seriously The New York Times Magazine lt http www nytimes com 2008 02 17 magazine 17play html gt Romina M Barros MD Ellen J Silver PhD and Ruth E K Stein MD 2009 School Recess and Group Classroom Behavior Pediatrics 123 2 431 436 doi 10 1542 peds 2007 2825 Sherer Paul M 2006 The Benefits of Parks Why America Needs More City Parks and Open Space San Francisco The Trust for Public Land Stanford University 2007 Building Generation Play Addressing the Crisis of Inactivity Among America s Children lt http www playeveryday org Stanford 20 Report pdf Tepperman Jean ed 2007 Play in the Early Years Key to School Success El Cerrito CA Bay Area Early Childhood Funders lt http www 4children org images pdt play07 pdf gt Wenner Melinda 2009 February March The Serio
6. Rake through sand remove any refuse and secure the lid magnat OO round tips for supporting children s play lt Provide developmentally appropriate materials a variety of materials that provide a challenge without being too difficult for children Make sure the materials are safe and age appropriate Observe how your children play to help you understand what inspires them and how to encourage them Notice how children are interacting with each other and the materials If a child typically follows the lead of others and one day announces a game of her own this signals a new development in her play Stage materials prior to the start of a play session in a fun creative way that children can mirror and build upon During the play session you may want to add materials that support the children s play Be sure to place the objects close enough so that they can find them but not so close that you interrupt their play e Encourage children to help each other If a child wants help building a boat refer him to another child who has built a boat in the past Promote opportunities for peer play Sometimes a child will struggle to enter into play with the others As a Play Associate you can suggest roles Would you like to deliver the mail to other students or ask the group what roles the new child could play What could Jessica be A lion a zoo keeper Allow them to negotiate what role the child will take on Ther
7. Imagination Playground the importance of play for children and how a Play Associate facilitates play three core elements to imagination playground Imagination Playground is designed to allow for different types of play and to give children the freedom to make up and pursue their own play activities With Loose Parts as the main focus three key elements are essential to our play concept loose parts A changing collection of moveable objects lets children make each play session a new experience Using Imagination Playground Blocks crates found objects and other Loose Parts children can build make up stories and games or just enjoy shapes colors and texture manipulable environment Children play most creatively in settings they can manipulate Imagination Playground which is ideal for use with sand and water lets children design and re design the space around them play associates Play Associates are trained adults who oversee an open setting where children can direct their own play They maintain a safe welcoming environment and manage the collection of Imagination Playground Blocks and other Loose Parts magnat OO round play and playwork what is play When we say play we mean free play This kind of play involves unstructured activity that children choose and direct on their own very likely what you find children doing during school recess Activities like climbing building sand castles and playing hi
8. de and seek or make believe are all forms of free play organized sports like soccer or volleyball are not We want to clarify our definition of play because many people consider any enjoyable activities that are not directly related to chores or schoolwork to be play for example talking to friends watching television participating in an orchestra or playing video games Play is fundamental to imagination and creativity Noted pediatrician and psychiatrist Donald Winnicott says that in a play space children have the ability and power to transform their dreams into reality why is play important Play is the primary means through which young children develop When allowed to direct and conduct their own play children may broaden their experiences increase their levels of imagination expand their linguistic abilities exercise their physical and mental strength and improve their dexterity Children develop their thinking through social interaction Contrary to popular ideas that children learn only through adults their interaction with each other in play has enormous value A simple game of hide and seek for example prompts children to anticipate potential problems and their solutions and to think spatially play associate s guide 5 Playing in a group setting also gives children opportunities to develop and refine social skills As children play they have conversations with each other practicing the way t
9. e is no better way to understand play than by taking time to enjoy some play time for yourself Play sessions for Play Associates alone can help you and your team to engage further with your children and also to give you great new ideas to incorporate into play session with your kids play associate s guide 13 14 references British Adventure Play www adventureplay org uk The Alliance for Childhood www allianceforchildhood org The Free Play Network www treeplaynetwork org uk Imagination Playground www imaginationplayground com lt The Child Development Institute at Sarah Lawrence College www slc edu cdi index php e Children s Play Information Service www ncb org uk cpis resources e Skills Active Playwork www skillsactive com playwork lt Alliance for Childhood 2009 Time for Play Every Day It s Fun and Fundamental lt http www allianceforchildhood org sites allianceforchildhood org hles fle pdt projects play pdf_files play_fact_sheet pdf gt Department for Children Schools and Families 2008 Fair Play A Consultation on the Play Strategy London Department for Children Schools and Families and Department for Culture Media and Sport DCSF 00298 2008 Dobson Frank 2004 Getting Serious About Play A Review ot Children s Play London Department for Culture Media amp Sport lt http www culture gov uk images publications ReviewofChildrensPlay pdf gt magnal
10. es can create a low simple barrier with Blocks and objects for children under five Another simple method is to mark out areas on the ground with chalk labeled Children Under Five and Children Over Five play session safety Imagination Playground should always be used in a secure and safe environment for children to play Imagination Playground Blocks and Loose Parts are intendend for children ages two and up Always follow all applicable safety rules and procedures with Imagination Playground Parents or caregivers should always be present during play sessions Monitor where the materials are taken and be sure they are not deposited within the bounds of the active areas of a playground including areas with fixed play equipment where they could be a hazard to running and sliding children Play sessions may become active and boisterous Be watchful and ready to step in and give direction Encourage children to take turns and share If there are too many Blocks and Loose Parts in the given area put some away ec We G IE AER please be aware of particular safety issues e Make sure that all materials offered for play are age appropriate lt Do not allow children to stand on or jump off of stacked Blocks lt Do not allow ropes and fabrics to be used on fixed equipment or tied around children to avoid the possibility of strangulation lt If you use sand do not allow the children to throw sand If you have a sand box i
11. hey communicate for example What do you call the stick that holds the wheel on a car Play can increase levels ot cooperation negotiation conflict resolution and other interpersonal skills necessary to succeed as an adult Symbolic or pretend play helps children understand their environment putting language emotion movement and social dynamics into a context they can g rasp When children play they often replicate real life They dress up pretend to be adults and make up rhymes The act of play it seems allows children to comprehend the actions they imitate loose parts play Imagination Playground provides a rich environment that encourages free play and a variety of play patterns Imagination Playground Blocks and other Loose Parts offer opportunities for creativity and sensory exploration as well as opportunities for collaborative play Here are some further details of why Loose Parts play is valuable to children s learning and development logic mathematical skills Logic and math skills may develop as children construct with blocks Loose Parts play provides opportunities to count make classifications and estimate for example To make the steps look right I need to add one Block to each stack as I go og OO round imagination Through symbolic play children begin to form meanings for objects in their minds and act those meanings out through gestures or by substituting items for something else W
12. ith Loose Parts you see kids playing with objects that are similar in shape to the object they are pretending to use They also exercise their ability to imagine and envision creating their own structures and spaces dreaming up scenarios and roles and initiating their own activities problem solving When children build their own constructions with Loose Parts they set up problems for themselves and invent solutions for example I need a heavy weight on the back of my diving board to hold it steady social emotional development Through play children have opportunities to empathize with others support one another and develop inter and intrapersonal skills for example Are you afraid it will fall Here I will make the bottom stronger Playing together with a finite supply of materials also requires children to master the art of negotiation For example if children are working together to build a house they must negotiate which Blocks will be used and how they will be placed play associate s guide 7 a little history The Imagination Playground concept takes inspiration from Adventure Playgrounds which began in Europe following World War II These playgrounds were created from the rubble of buildings that had been destroyed during the war The first Adventure Playgrounds then known as junk playgrounds were developed by Danish landscape architect C Th Sorensen in the late 1930s He devised this ne
13. n the play area limit the number of children in the sand box checklist You should always conduct a safety and maintenance check before and after each play session e Check that the play area is safe We recommend using CPSC standards for this purpose You can download a CPSC safety manual through the following link http www cpsc gov epscpub pubs 325 pdi You may also request one by phone through the CPSC consumer hotline 1 800 638 2772 TTY 1 301 595 7054 lt Remove garbage sharp objects or debris from the site and from any sand e Check that the wheels brakes and locks on your Imagination Playground Box or Cart are working properly Ensure there are no entanglement hazards such as broken hooks or protruding bolts Make sure there are no sharp points corners or edges on your Imagination Playground Box Cart or Bag Blocks or Loose Parts Storage units should be free of damage both inside and outside Ensure that there are no puddles or pooling water inside your Imagination Playground Box Cart or Bag e Make sure to lock all wheels on your Imagination Playground Box or Cart before each play session and after positioning them for storage Know who are the key point people who can come to your assistance or call for help and have their emergency contact information readily available play associate s guide n 12 beginning a play session Start your session by creating an open environment
14. us Need for Play Scientific American Mind Wilson Penny 2010 The Playwork Primer College Park MD Alliance for Childhood play associate s guide 15 mean ON ground other recommended resources on play and play work books e Free Play Network Forman George E and Fleet Hill 1984 Constructive Play Applying Piaget in the www ireeplaynetwork org uk Preschool Menlo Park CA Addison Wesley Publishing Company meri peon Louv Richard 2008 The Last Child in the Woods Chapel Hill NC Algonquin www ipaworld org AO nee PLACES for PLAY Exhibition Piaget Jean 1974 To Understand Is to Invent New York City The Viking Press www ireeplaynetwork org uk playlink exhibition index html web pages Play Association Tower Hamlets PlayEducation www playtowerhamlets org uk www played dial pipex com Playwork Partnerships lt Play England www playwork co uk www playengland org uk e PLAYLINK www playlink org uk Play Wales www playwales org uk Videatives Views www videatives com Youth Farms and Activity Playgrounds in Germany BdJA www bdja org Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood www commercialexploitation org e Children s Play Information Service www ncb org uk epis play associate s guide 17 join the community of play associates Once you and your Play Associates have read through the User Manual and taken our online training session you re ready to start the fun
15. w scheme to accommodate the needs of children to create and shape dream and imagine a reality Children used these sites to play in a variety of ways using hammers pick axes scrap wood ropes and metal to dig and construct as they liked These playgrounds were tended by workers who kept the tools and building materials on the site ot an Adventure Playground These playworkers inspired the concept of Play Associates For more information on Playworkers or Adventure Playgrounds please visit www allianceforchildhood org playwork imaginal the role of the play associate Play Associates maintain the safety of the Imagination Playground space and facilitate play Play Associates must take part in Imagination Playground training sessions for an introduction into the concepts behind Imagination Playground their daily responsibilities ways in which they can foster free play experiences for children as well as the importance of unstructured play in a child s development Play Associates set up and step back They manage the play space and the Loose Parts and they are responsible for making daily safety checks of the entire site Play Associates should not direct play or teach children how to use the objects or environment though they might occasionally demonstrate the use of materials from the sidelines What children do will be the result of their natural curiosity and urge to play play associates facilitate play by
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