Playwork is the work of creating and maintaining spaces for children to play. The theory and practice of playwork recognises that

children A child ( : children) is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger ...

play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...

should ideally be "freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated." It is the job of a playworker to ensure that the broadest possible range of play types can be engaged in or accessed by children, and to

observe Observation is the active acquisition of information from a primary source. In living beings, observation employs the senses. In science, observation can also involve the perception and recording of data via the use of scientific instruments. The ...

, reflect and analyze the play that is happening and select a mode of intervention or make a change to the play space if needed. Playwork should not be confused with

childcare Child care, otherwise known as day care, is the care and supervision of a child or multiple children at a time, whose ages range from two weeks of age to 18 years. Although most parents spend a significant amount of time caring for their child(r ...

. A qualification in playwork relates to working with school aged children and should not be confused with qualifications more suited to work in early years or youth work.

History

The profession has its roots in the early

adventure playground An adventure playground is a specific type of playground for children. Adventure playgrounds can take many forms, ranging from "natural playgrounds" to "junk playgrounds", and are typically defined by an ethos of unrestricted play, the presence ...

movement which began after Lady Allen of Hurtwood visited a site in Copenhagen during the German occupation of the city during World War II. The term and concept of "adventure playground" truly began after she brought the concept back to London. The sites were not typical playgrounds, but rather empty public spaces with a plethora of resources and materials, otherwise mistaken as "junk," for children to build, create, and mold their own environment. Playwork today has been popularized in mainstream culture by the short documentary, '' The Land'', about an adventure playground in Wrexham, Wales. Non-profits such as Pop-Up Adventure Play host trainings, workshops and open play workshops across the UK, US, and Canada. Playwork can be studied at the graduate school level, specifically in

Leeds Beckett University Leeds Beckett University (LBU), formerly known as Leeds Metropolitan University (LMU) and before that as Leeds Polytechnic, is a public university in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has campuses in the city centre and Headingley. The univ ...

in the UK under Dr. Fraser Brown.

Play rangers

A play ranger is a local government employee who visits parks and outdoor spaces, providing equipment and some guidance to help children enjoy their public spaces more. They have been described as a combination of a park ranger and a playworker. They share some skills and goals in common with staff of a

forest kindergarten Forest kindergarten is a type of preschool education for children between the ages of three and six that is held almost exclusively outdoors. Whatever the weather, children are encouraged to play, explore and learn in a forest environment. The ad ...

, but are more focused on

than workers at forest schools.

External links

The Playwork Primer (2010)

SkillsActive

Play England

Play Scotland

Play Wales

PlayBoard NI

Playwork Foundation

References

{{reflist, 2 Play (activity)