The Routledge International Handbook of Early Childhood Play Routledge International Handbooks of Education Series

Historical changes in play are taking place in childhood all over the world, with the digitalisation of children?s lives. Researchers are worried about the disappearance of advanced forms of play and the prioritization of time spent with loving adults, supporting play with babies and toddlers. At the same time, our understanding about the crucial importance of individual development is becoming clearer.

The Routledge International Handbook of Early Childhood Play explores these issues and more. It proposes the importance of adult participation in play, as adult guidance brings the possibility of moral, cultural and symbolic elements to children?s play, and enhances the educational opportunities in adult-child joint play. The book also examines the aesthetic dimension of play and its role in the development of imagination and creativity.

With contributors from many parts of the world, this unique handbook brings together the latest research and highlights practice which focuses on play. This is an essential and engaging read for all students, academics, teachers and practitioners with an interest in play.

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS INTRODUCTION PART 1: SELECTED HISTORICAL APPROACHES TO CHLDREN’S PLAY 1.PONDERINGS ON PLAY: FROEBELIAN ASSEMBLAGES 2.LOCATING PLAY TODAY 3.PLAY BIRTH TO THREE: TREASURE BASKETS AND HEURISTIC PLAY, THE LEGACY OF ELINOR GOLDSCHMIED (1910-2009) 4.CULTURAL HISTORICAL PLAY THEORY 5.AESTHETICS OF PLAY AND JOINT PLAY-WORLDS 6.CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND PRETEND PLAY PART 2: PLAY IN DIFFERENT CULTURES 7.CHARACTERISTICS OF PRETEND ROLE PLAY 8.CONCEPTIONS OF PLAY ACTIVITY AND ITS APPLICATION 9.INTRODUCING SOCIAL ROLE PLAY TO YOUNG CHILDREN IN COLOMBIA 10.PLAY AND ART IN A JAPANESE EARLY CHILHOOD SETTING PART 3: SOCIODRAMATIC PLAY 11.ACROSS THE UNIVERSE: DIALOGIC DRAMATIC PLAY WITH YOUNG CHILDREN 12.CHILDREN’S SOCIODRAMATIC PLAY TYPOLOGIES AND TEACHER PLAY INVOLVEMENT WITHIN THE BREADTH OF THE ZONE OF PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT 13.PLAYING ON THE EDGE: ADVENTURE, RISK AND CHALLENGE IN PLAY OUTDOORS PART 4: OBSERVING AND INTERVENING IN PLAY 14.CHIMP AND CHILD: ARE THERE SIMILARITIES IN THEIR PLAY? 15.PLAY WITH INFANTS: THE IMPULSE OF STORYTELLING 16.OBSERVING CHILDREN’S TRIADIC PLAY 17.POOH BEAR’S TURN! AN AUSTRALIAN STUDY OF ADULTS USING SPECIAL TOYS TO DEVELOP PLAY COMPLEXITY FROM WITHIN CHILDREN’S IMAGINARY PLAY 18.SELF-REGULATION AND NARRATIVE INTERVENTIONS IN CHILDREN’S PLAY PART 5: PLAY ENVIRONMENTS, TOYS AND PARTNERS 19.PLAYWORLD AND THE PEDAGOGY OF LISTENING 20.COLLABORATIVE PLAY WITH DRAMATIZATION: AN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMME OF ‘PLAYSHOP IN A JAPANESE EARLY CHILDHOOD SETTING 21.DIGITAL PLAYWORLDS IN AN AUSTRALIAN CONTEXT – SUPPORTING DOUBLE SUBJECTIVITY 22.THE DEVELOPMENTAL POTENTIAL OF TOYS AND GAMES PART 6: DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING IN PLAY 23.THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN PLAY AND LEARNING 24.CREATIVITY AND PLAY 25.PLAY WITH SOCIAL ROLES AS A METHOD FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT IN YOUNG CHILDREN PART 7: PLAY AND CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS 26.GAMES AS A TOOL FOR FACILITATING COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 27.THE PROMISE OF PLAY AS AN INTEERVENTION TO DEVELOP SELF-REGULATION IN CHILDREN ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM 28.MUSICAL PLAY AND PLAY THROUGH MUSIC IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

Tina Bruce was formerly Director of the Centre for Early Childhood Education, University of Roehampton. She has a long and distinguished publishing career and was co-ordinator of the Early Years Ministerial Advisory Group for ten years, contributing to the ‘Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage’, ‘Birth to Three matters’, and the English Early Years Foundation Stage.

Pentti Hakkarainen is Professor of the Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology at the Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences.

Milda Bredikyte is Associated Professor of the Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology and a coordinator of research and teaching activities of the Play Research Laboratory at the Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences.