Play and Developmental Stages

Birth-18 months

The attached report was produced by the Early Childhood Forum in 2008 and discusses the importance of play in children's development.

It is in .pdf format

Outdoor Play Time

The following list offers some good reasons for making sure young children have the opportunity for outdoor play time.

1. Play is an active form of learning that unites the mind, body, and spirit. Until at least the age of nine, children's learning occurs best when the whole self is involved.

2. Play reduces the tension that often comes with having to achieve or needing to learn. In play, adults do not interfere and children relax.

   
   

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA) have produced a code of good practice in regard to play areas. A copy of the guide is a attached as a portable data file (.pdf)

Play England produce a regular newsletter called Play in the West Midlands. It gives information about initiatives in the region and about sources of funding.

Issue 7 from January 2009 is attached.

City and Guilds accredit Awards in Playwork.

A copy of their handbook for the Level 3 Award is attached.

Imagine a ladder with eight rungs numbered from 1 at the bottom to 8 at the top. The text below describes what each of these rungs signifies.

Qualifying the Playwork Workforce
The Children’s Plan included a commitment that “….the play strategy will support individuals in communities to take a professional role by providing funding to enable 4000 playworkers to achieve recognised play qualifications, and within that to enable a core of professionally qualified new graduate leaders to emerge.”
In support of this commitment, a range of initiatives is being developed by the Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC), in partnership with SkillsActive.
Key areas of focus