Storyplay Training
Every children’s professional needs to become a play expert – here’s how!
More and more Children’s services
are recognising the importance of play for learning and wellbeing, especially as we begin to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Play is how we learn and grow and build strong relationships. When we are in touch with our playful self we can be relaxed and at our most open – to other people, to new experiences and to new ideas. We can be anyone, do anything, go anywhere! We can adventure! We can be brave!
Children are of course the world’s play experts. As adults, we need children and what they show us about humanity as much as children need us. We too need to play!
Increasingly, research is showing the value
of children playing with adults in bringing added dimensions to children’s play and developing their skills and understanding of ways they can play together – fairly, equally and richly.
At Licketyspit, we agree with Vygotsky that there is no reason not to tell or show children things because this assumes a child’s learning is finite. Children are going somewhere we cannot even imagine. So, it’s fine for adults to support children’s play, creating a safe and equal space where they can join in and share their imaginings, skills and ideas. Children will simply take what they want from us. The crucial word here is equal. An equal play space where the adult is not dominant but meets the child in play.
This is how Storyplay delivers on children’s rights and promotes human rights for all; the right to be heard, to have agency in decisions that affect you, to have positive relationships, the right to identity, to family, to culture, and of course, the right to play.
Sign up for our Storyplay CPD Training here!
This is highly complimentary to free play and brings another dimension to play pedagogy.
Intergenerational imaginary play – what we call Storyplay – can be a transformative tool for teachers, elc workers, social workers and other children’s professionals. It is particularly pertinent when we look at the impact parental engagement in learning has on a child’s outcomes.
We know that many adults don’t believe they are ‘creative’ or ‘good at drama’. But when we talk about children’s rights and needs and accept how vital play is for every child, we must surely enable and support every children’s professional – and parent – to become a Play Expert.
The wonderful thing is that it is easily within all of our reach. It’s about remembering something we all already have a deep understanding of. And like exercising a muscle – it’s about practice.
That’s why Licketyspit wants to share the Storyplay approach children have enabled us to develop, with children’s professionals everywhere – starting with Glasgow, the first Storyplay City.
