Transcript Play Scan: The effects of our actions

Play Scan:
The effects of our actions
Lucy Thornton
Director: Woz’obona
Overview of presentation
• Defining Play
• The Value of Play
• Decisions we Make
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Political
Economic
Social
Environment
• Effects on Play
• Why should you bother?
What is Play?
• Play is a process that is freely chosen, personally
directed and intrinsically motivated (Make time
to Play Campaign, A world without Play)
• As we move to facilitate, organise and formalise,
care needs to be taken that we as adults do not
rob children of choices, personal directing and
‘doing it for the fun of it’.
• Through play learning does not have to be forced
to happen, it happens by itself.
The value of play
• ‘Play is crucial to children’s healthy
development and quality of life’ (Foley 2008
p.6).
• Without play, a child’s ability to develop and
function effectively in the world is at best
impaired and at worst as good as impossible’
(Hubbuck 2009, p127).
The value of play
• Playful children are happier, better adjusted,
more co-operative, and more popular with
their peers than those who play less.
• ‘Opportunities for spontaneous play may be
the only requirement that young children
need to increase their physical activity.’ Dietz
(2001).
The value of play
• ‘Time spent playing is the natural arena for
forming friendships, finding soul-mates and
negotiating relationships’ (Casey 2010 pxi).
• Through play children express and work out
emotional aspects of everyday experiences,
exploring their feelings and finding ways of
expressing themselves (Open University).
Why is this an issue?
• Today play is an endangered species
• It is endangered by the decisions we make and
actions we take
– Politically
– Socially
– Economically
– Environmentally
Political Decisions/Actions
• Resource allocation and subsequent use
results from political decisions.
• Minimising opportunities and time for play in
schools is a political decision.
• The size and location of spaces for play in our
communities is often determined by the
politics at play in local government.
Political Decisions/Actions:
South African National Budget 2008/2009
housing
Debt 7%
8%
water & Agric
4%
Other
15%
trans &
Comm
10%
Education
17%
health
11%
Protection
13%
Welfare
15%
Social Decisions/Actions
• The height and width of wall we
build around our homes is a
social decision.
• The size of play space inside our
homes is a social decision.
• Whether we allow our children
free play or impose our ideas of
what they should be doing with
their time is a social decision.
• Whether we allow our children
free exploration and discovery
activities is a social decision.
Connect the dots between child participation
and child protection
• Society protects and
shelters children
Child
protection
• Children can protect
themselves and reach out
Child
participation
Play is the vehicle we use to take children from the place where they
are sheltered and protected to the place where they interact confidently with their world.
Economic Decisions/Actions
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•
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Urbanisation is squeezing out play
spaces and opportunities.
The more commercialised play is, the
more exclusive play becomes.
Play is becoming less physical and less
social.
As families become wealthier they
spend more on toys and children
become less likely to explore, discover,
create their own activities and even
make their own playthings.
We spend funds on child protection
but not on play, failing to see the
connection between them.
Environmental Decisions/Actions
• Increasingly we
generate more waste
than we can safely
dispose of.
• We seek to leave some
wealth for our children,
but not an opportunity
for them to earn their
own wealth
The effects of all these …
• Poor performance in education
– We failed to stimulate them early on
• Violent nation
– We fail to pass critical values of patience, respect
for others, waiting your turn, accepting defeat…
• “I am all that matters syndrome”
– We fail to socialise and build team spirit in the
early years
The effects of all these…
• We spend a fortune on correctional and
rehabilitative programs
– We fail to instil self discipline and self-restraint
early
• We are a nation that is largely dependent on
state welfare
– We fail to inspire dreams and desire for success
early
So why should you bother?
• You are equally concerned about the observable effects
around us
• You have some role or influence on some of these
decisions
• You are also part of the generation to which children
and their successors are looking to with expectation
• you have a role to play and a responsibility to
discharge
• you are also searching for answers
It is not all lost….
• The solution lies in the basics that we have
chosen to put aside
• The solution is cost effective and affordable
• The solution is within reach
• That solution is…