Hiya,
I'm not sure how indepth you need to go for this, or what formal criteria there is to define 'play space, is it possible for you to get in touch with your tutor for a chat before commiting to more hours of research?
Maybe look at a few places to start things off - a local outdoor play area/park, Doctors surgery/hospital waiting/outdoor play area, local museum or restaurant/cafe - Private establishments may need to grant permission before being identified by name, adress or other in your work. A club and your own garden. Note why you like each them and why you don't - the areas that each has for play - indoors or out and location in the room/outdoors. The resources available and flooring, the resources that could be available .. eg. toys that the Children themselves can 'move in or can request, jointly for future purchase - this helps evaluate/see the areas of provision that could be improved ..
The ages that would use the area, the reasons why the area is provided, access, management and nature - commercial, free, donation run, subsidised ..
For me, play spaces can be any area or place - regardless of size that enables a Child or Children to play, learn through play and to access play through learning - Self directed: supporting this, personally means to always make it known, help/adult interaction is only ever a shout away - be that age related & via a phone
for older ages I also include the bus as a potential play space so try to parent with that in mind
!!
Preschools and other settings can offer their whole provision as a play space and then focus in on specific areas/zones - the sand play space, the water, carpet, book corner, role play, messy play, outdoor ... for others it may mean solely outdoor openly accessible, risk assessed and maintained play areas.
Temporary, semi and permanent play space ..
Who owns / has responsibility for the land - Private, Public,
common land - an understanding of possible accountability - risk, injury, damage to property and self.
Different types of play spaces or places that may have play spaces available and objects that can be play spaces, when allowed the space for play
:
Bedroom - play room - Preschool - School - Yard - driveway - Car parks - Public toilets - Supermarkets - Creche - soft play - Nursery
Reception areas - Hotels, Doctors, Dentists, B&B, Hostel, Camp sites.
Appartments, flats, housing associated play areas.
City, Town and Village designated play areas - central features and possible play provision.
Museums - Galleries - Piers - other places of interest.
Adventure park - Theme park - local attractions - Garden centres.
a bench - a rockery - a pavement - drains and drainage areas, possibly road guttering - fountain areas - tree house - tent - camps or dens, beach, woodland, moorland ..
The kitchen table turned into a cave - is the 'space given to the table now an additional play space due to its adaptation? The sofa pirate ship - or pulled forwards maybe and made into look out tunnel. A swivel chair turned into a roundabout & space rocket, a hallway turned into a race & obstacle course ..
My own view is that play needs flexibility, the provision of freedom, readiness of those in a position of responsibilty to act. Possible resources may include: an idea, possibly the permission to proceed - adult or child requested. Toys, resources, experiences and knowledge - prior, shared and discovered.
Things to think about in play may include: Time - disability, access, risk, suitability ..
For the last part & evidencing can you credit all your sources of research - books, websites & other papers ... and methods - going to the library, using keyword search strategies, surveys, permissions and authorisations, feedback slips, visiting places and collecting leaflet & verbal information, forum participation, following leads, researching recommendations ..
Observing children at play, if this isn't physical evidence ie. a written obs can you make arrangements to visit a youth club or outing where child led or self directed play is the focus, sit back and watch how play happens
?
Interaction - To help with this I asked my children what they considered a play space and why, interesting replies lol. Can you ask everyone around you for their views?
The places 'map on the second page of this pdf is great for ideas
Questionnaire from Plymouth.gov.uk
A chart may also be a good way to help order everything for you, age of Children and young people, appropriate play spaces, resources needed ..
Childrens Play information service is good -
CPIS from the NCB they also have a newsletter subscription service if you wanted to stay in touch with this. Tand a great PDF from Forestry.gov.uk, the design process on pages 3 & 4 is very informative -
Designing play spaces
Quote:
The thing that makes Forestry Commission play provision different from other providers is that the sites are generally perceived as natural, wild and extensive.
These Play characteristics should therefore be reflected in the provision of play facilities.
Spaces Design:
– Play areas must be designed and constructed in response to the needs of users, this includes parents and carers.
– Identify the unique interesting characteristics of the locality, the woodland site and the play location (which may relate to its geography, geology, history or natural history) and incorporate elements of these features in the play theme.
– Play areas should be seen as a springboard or way of encouraging people to explore the forest as a play environment.
– Identify and use existing features rather than clear everything away to start with a blank site.
– Use natural materials & water:
– Structures should, wherever possible be made of timber.
– Use bark, sand and pea gravel safety surfaces (See safety surfaces overleaf).
– Use pealed logs (preferably a durable timber like oak), tree stumps and boulders as informal play structures or to provide interesting seating.
– Loose materials are valuable play materials and should be included rather than cleared away (sand, bark, branches, brash, cones, leaves).
– Avoid urbanisation by minimising use of plastic or powder coated steel.
– Do not fall into the trap of going immediately to a supplier or catalogue.
– Use or manufacture landform to create interesting topography or a sense of enclosure.
– Play areas should wherever possible include space for creative play, e.g. space to build dens.
– Play should challenge children and allow for an element of risk.
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Source - Forestry.gov.uk Design guidance for play spaces
I don't know what if any theory this all links to sorry but hope it helps a little.
xx
unit 318 : research play - play spaces
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Linear Mode
