before I start I’d like you to do something for me I’d like you to think
something for me I’d like you to think
something for me I’d like you to think back to your childhood which I realize
back to your childhood which I realize
back to your childhood which I realize might take some of you a bit longer than
might take some of you a bit longer than
might take some of you a bit longer than others think back to your childhood in
others think back to your childhood in
others think back to your childhood in particular playing in your childhood
particular playing in your childhood
particular playing in your childhood where were you what were you doing who
where were you what were you doing who
where were you what were you doing who are you with
with that image in your head give
with that image in your head give yourself a score out of 10
yourself a score out of 10
yourself a score out of 10 how good was your play it’s a silly
how good was your play it’s a silly
how good was your play it’s a silly question I know because let’s face it
question I know because let’s face it
question I know because let’s face it there is no good or bad play
there is no good or bad play
there is no good or bad play it’s just play but increasingly that is
it’s just play but increasingly that is
it’s just play but increasingly that is what we seem to be doing with regard to
what we seem to be doing with regard to
what we seem to be doing with regard to our children we seem to be getting play
our children we seem to be getting play
our children we seem to be getting play taking the beautiful simplicity of play
taking the beautiful simplicity of play
taking the beautiful simplicity of play turning it wrapping it in jargon that
turning it wrapping it in jargon that
turning it wrapping it in jargon that makes sense to us as adults and trying
makes sense to us as adults and trying
makes sense to us as adults and trying to make it grow up but play is simple
to make it grow up but play is simple
to make it grow up but play is simple it’s childish it’s how our children
it’s childish it’s how our children
it’s childish it’s how our children learn about life about their bodies
learn about life about their bodies
learn about life about their bodies about the world around them it’s what
about the world around them it’s what
about the world around them it’s what they do they can’t help themselves
they do they can’t help themselves
they do they can’t help themselves in fact it is the universal language of
in fact it is the universal language of
in fact it is the universal language of childhood and our children are experts
this here is Patrick Patrick’s my son
this here is Patrick Patrick’s my son he’s three and a half and he’s an expert
he’s three and a half and he’s an expert
he’s three and a half and he’s an expert at play from the minute he wakes up in
at play from the minute he wakes up in
at play from the minute he wakes up in the morning to the minute he goes to bed
the morning to the minute he goes to bed
the morning to the minute he goes to bed at night all he wants to do is play
at night all he wants to do is play
at night all he wants to do is play it’s how he makes sense of the world as
it’s how he makes sense of the world as
it’s how he makes sense of the world as I’ve said whether it’s chucking stones
I’ve said whether it’s chucking stones
I’ve said whether it’s chucking stones into a river stirring a muddy puddle
into a river stirring a muddy puddle
into a river stirring a muddy puddle with a stick or creating imaginary
with a stick or creating imaginary
with a stick or creating imaginary worlds in his bedroom once he’s found a
worlds in his bedroom once he’s found a
worlds in his bedroom once he’s found a focus for his play he’ll give it all the
focus for his play he’ll give it all the
focus for his play he’ll give it all the time it needs there are no goals there’s
time it needs there are no goals there’s
time it needs there are no goals there’s no reason there’s no plan
no reason there’s no plan
no reason there’s no plan it’s just play for the sheer pleasure of
it’s just play for the sheer pleasure of
it’s just play for the sheer pleasure of playing us as his parents not interested
playing us as his parents not interested
playing us as his parents not interested in us at all he’d much rather play with
in us at all he’d much rather play with
in us at all he’d much rather play with his friends they needn’t even be as
his friends they needn’t even be as
his friends they needn’t even be as friends they can just be random children
friends they can just be random children
friends they can just be random children he’s met on the street which is no bad
he’s met on the street which is no bad
he’s met on the street which is no bad thing because it’s actually been shown
thing because it’s actually been shown
thing because it’s actually been shown that this child to child play as far
that this child to child play as far
that this child to child play as far richer from a learning perspective than
richer from a learning perspective than
richer from a learning perspective than anything that we as adults can offer so
anything that we as adults can offer so
anything that we as adults can offer so is it any surprise that childhood
is it any surprise that childhood
is it any surprise that childhood settings primary schools kindergartens
settings primary schools kindergartens
settings primary schools kindergartens nurseries have all left on this and
nurseries have all left on this and
nurseries have all left on this and recognize the value of play after all
recognize the value of play after all
recognize the value of play after all that’s shown to increase our resilience
that’s shown to increase our resilience
that’s shown to increase our resilience in crew to improve our problem-solving
in crew to improve our problem-solving
in crew to improve our problem-solving skills encourage empathy hone our gross
skills encourage empathy hone our gross
skills encourage empathy hone our gross and fine motor skills improve our
and fine motor skills improve our
and fine motor skills improve our eyesight it’s even shown to tackle
eyesight it’s even shown to tackle
eyesight it’s even shown to tackle obesity I mean it’s the answer to all
obesity I mean it’s the answer to all
obesity I mean it’s the answer to all the 21st century’s problems but yet with
the 21st century’s problems but yet with
the 21st century’s problems but yet with this has come a degree of complication
this has come a degree of complication
this has come a degree of complication which is a slightly more worrying we no
which is a slightly more worrying we no
which is a slightly more worrying we no longer talk about simple play we talk
longer talk about simple play we talk
longer talk about simple play we talk about child led play and unstructured
about child led play and unstructured
about child led play and unstructured play and free play and that’s just the
play and free play and that’s just the
play and free play and that’s just the tip of the iceberg what lies beneath is
tip of the iceberg what lies beneath is
tip of the iceberg what lies beneath is a whole series of smokers bored of in
a whole series of smokers bored of in
a whole series of smokers bored of in increased complication this poster was
increased complication this poster was
increased complication this poster was produced by play Scotland and their aim
produced by play Scotland and their aim
produced by play Scotland and their aim is to get the Scottish government to
is to get the Scottish government to
is to get the Scottish government to make a statutory commitment to play
make a statutory commitment to play
make a statutory commitment to play which is in itself a noble endeavor
which is in itself a noble endeavor
which is in itself a noble endeavor let’s face it our children have a right
let’s face it our children have a right
let’s face it our children have a right to play but my worry is within
to play but my worry is within
to play but my worry is within statutory there’s going to become
statutory there’s going to become
statutory there’s going to become measurement and assessment because
measurement and assessment because
measurement and assessment because government love data and they love to
government love data and they love to
government love data and they love to prove that any penny they’re spending is
prove that any penny they’re spending is
prove that any penny they’re spending is justified but the great thing about clay
justified but the great thing about clay
justified but the great thing about clay is its ability to remove barriers it is
is its ability to remove barriers it is
is its ability to remove barriers it is the great leveler children can learn
the great leveler children can learn
the great leveler children can learn grow develop at their own speed at their
grow develop at their own speed at their
grow develop at their own speed at their own pace particularly children quite
own pace particularly children quite
own pace particularly children quite Trudy Trudy is my daughter and she’s
Trudy Trudy is my daughter and she’s
Trudy Trudy is my daughter and she’s one-and-a-half and she has Down syndrome
one-and-a-half and she has Down syndrome
one-and-a-half and she has Down syndrome we do feed her more than leaves a
we do feed her more than leaves a
we do feed her more than leaves a promise and for her I sincerely hope
promise and for her I sincerely hope
promise and for her I sincerely hope that the one element of her life where
that the one element of her life where
that the one element of her life where she’s not going to be measured and
she’s not going to be measured and
she’s not going to be measured and assessed is in her play because that
assessed is in her play because that
assessed is in her play because that extra chromosome of hers means that she
extra chromosome of hers means that she
extra chromosome of hers means that she might struggle she probably will
might struggle she probably will
might struggle she probably will struggle in various other areas of her
struggle in various other areas of her
struggle in various other areas of her life but not in her play please I mean
life but not in her play please I mean
life but not in her play please I mean it’s for her her play should be the same
it’s for her her play should be the same
it’s for her her play should be the same as it is for every other child where she
as it is for every other child where she
as it is for every other child where she can do what she wants grow at her own
can do what she wants grow at her own
can do what she wants grow at her own pace explore the world on her terms
pace explore the world on her terms
pace explore the world on her terms not according to the terms of others
not according to the terms of others
not according to the terms of others like all children now later later this
like all children now later later this
like all children now later later this year earlier this year we ran our first
year earlier this year we ran our first
year earlier this year we ran our first holiday camp and it was aimed at
holiday camp and it was aimed at
holiday camp and it was aimed at children aged between 5 and 11 with a
children aged between 5 and 11 with a
children aged between 5 and 11 with a very simple premise and premise was play
very simple premise and premise was play
very simple premise and premise was play out in the woods because that’s where I
out in the woods because that’s where I
out in the woods because that’s where I like being in the same way that I’d
like being in the same way that I’d
like being in the same way that I’d played when I was a child where we
played when I was a child where we
played when I was a child where we disappear after breakfast come home when
disappear after breakfast come home when
disappear after breakfast come home when either we were hungry or it was dark in
either we were hungry or it was dark in
either we were hungry or it was dark in Scotland that meant it was usually both
Scotland that meant it was usually both
Scotland that meant it was usually both and no structure no guidance no
and no structure no guidance no
and no structure no guidance no supervision just us out in the woods so
supervision just us out in the woods so
supervision just us out in the woods so on the first day of our camp there I was
on the first day of our camp there I was
on the first day of our camp there I was standing in front of a group of 10
standing in front of a group of 10
standing in front of a group of 10 children and their parents running them
children and their parents running them
children and their parents running them through the plan for the day wishes to
through the plan for the day wishes to
through the plan for the day wishes to say there weren’t any plans the children
say there weren’t any plans the children
say there weren’t any plans the children were in charge whatever they wanted to
were in charge whatever they wanted to
were in charge whatever they wanted to do they could do I hadn’t got planned
do they could do I hadn’t got planned
do they could do I hadn’t got planned any activities for them you could see
any activities for them you could see
any activities for them you could see some of the parents going oh I didn’t
some of the parents going oh I didn’t
some of the parents going oh I didn’t realize we’d signed up for this
so what did I do
so what did I do well nothing what did they do well they
well nothing what did they do well they
well nothing what did they do well they made mudslides big built dens they
made mudslides big built dens they
made mudslides big built dens they climbed trees they made more mud than I
climbed trees they made more mud than I
climbed trees they made more mud than I ever thought it possible to make in his
ever thought it possible to make in his
ever thought it possible to make in his space of a day and then rolled in it
space of a day and then rolled in it
space of a day and then rolled in it they swam fully clothed in the river
they swam fully clothed in the river
they swam fully clothed in the river in April again crazy people they found
in April again crazy people they found
in April again crazy people they found what psychologists refer to as that flow
what psychologists refer to as that flow
what psychologists refer to as that flow state that state where you’re so focused
state that state where you’re so focused
state that state where you’re so focused on one thing that everything and
on one thing that everything and
on one thing that everything and everybody else disappears they played
everybody else disappears they played
everybody else disappears they played together they played on their own they
together they played on their own they
together they played on their own they solve problems together what did I do
solve problems together what did I do
solve problems together what did I do I did nothing I made hot chocolate but
I did nothing I made hot chocolate but
I did nothing I made hot chocolate but what did I do when it came to telling
what did I do when it came to telling
what did I do when it came to telling them what to do and supporting their
them what to do and supporting their
them what to do and supporting their play absolutely nothing at all it wasn’t
play absolutely nothing at all it wasn’t
play absolutely nothing at all it wasn’t easy
easy
easy Algren ii because our natural instinct
Algren ii because our natural instinct
Algren ii because our natural instinct as a parent as an adult is to interfere
as a parent as an adult is to interfere
as a parent as an adult is to interfere to think that we know what our children
to think that we know what our children
to think that we know what our children want to do believe you me we don’t we
want to do believe you me we don’t we
want to do believe you me we don’t we haven’t the faintest idea at all as I
haven’t the faintest idea at all as I
haven’t the faintest idea at all as I said it wasn’t easy my dad I don’t have
said it wasn’t easy my dad I don’t have
said it wasn’t easy my dad I don’t have a picture of him my dad could never
a picture of him my dad could never
a picture of him my dad could never quite appreciate why anybody would pay
quite appreciate why anybody would pay
quite appreciate why anybody would pay just to let their children go and play
just to let their children go and play
just to let their children go and play surely they did that anyway and his
surely they did that anyway and his
surely they did that anyway and his frame of reference though is my
frame of reference though is my
frame of reference though is my childhood which is exactly what I did
childhood which is exactly what I did
childhood which is exactly what I did but the world has changed and we are far
but the world has changed and we are far
but the world has changed and we are far more structured and overseeing than we
more structured and overseeing than we
more structured and overseeing than we ever used to be to give you an insight
ever used to be to give you an insight
ever used to be to give you an insight into that in 2009 natural England did a
into that in 2009 natural England did a
into that in 2009 natural England did a survey of adults and children aged
survey of adults and children aged
survey of adults and children aged between 7 and 11 and they asked them can
between 7 and 11 and they asked them can
between 7 and 11 and they asked them can you remember any periods of your life
you remember any periods of your life
you remember any periods of your life where you were allowed to play
where you were allowed to play
where you were allowed to play unsupervised outside in wild areas which
unsupervised outside in wild areas which
unsupervised outside in wild areas which is woods and streams rivers fields and
is woods and streams rivers fields and
is woods and streams rivers fields and the like of the adults over
the like of the adults over
the like of the adults over three-quarters could remember times like
three-quarters could remember times like
three-quarters could remember times like that in their childhood of the children
that in their childhood of the children
that in their childhood of the children it was 20% and 10% of the children had
it was 20% and 10% of the children had
it was 20% and 10% of the children had met
met
met had any opportunities to play
had any opportunities to play
had any opportunities to play unsupervised at all ever not even in
unsupervised at all ever not even in
unsupervised at all ever not even in their own gardens we obviously have a
their own gardens we obviously have a
their own gardens we obviously have a duty to our children to protect them and
duty to our children to protect them and
duty to our children to protect them and protect the spaces in which they can
protect the spaces in which they can
protect the spaces in which they can play but we also have a they have a
play but we also have a they have a
play but we also have a they have a right to play which doesn’t mean us
right to play which doesn’t mean us
right to play which doesn’t mean us watching over them all the time and it
watching over them all the time and it
watching over them all the time and it certainly doesn’t mean measurement an
certainly doesn’t mean measurement an
certainly doesn’t mean measurement an assessment because play is simple for
assessment because play is simple for
assessment because play is simple for our children it’s innate our
our children it’s innate our
our children it’s innate our interference adds no value at all what
interference adds no value at all what
interference adds no value at all what we need to do is we need to step back
we need to do is we need to step back
we need to do is we need to step back give ourselves a break and let our
give ourselves a break and let our
give ourselves a break and let our children just do what comes naturally
children just do what comes naturally
children just do what comes naturally which is to play thank you very much
”
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