Inclusive Play: Practical Strategies for Children from Birth to Eight

This extremely practical and child-focused book gives you the tools you need to make sure all the children in your care are included and involved in the play opportunities of your setting. Inside the second edition, new content includes: - consideration of the early years curricula across the whole of the UK - a new chapter on risk and challenge in play - new case studies - international perspectives - full coverage of the Birth to Eight age range - consideration of inclusive play from a children's rights perspective A key book for those in practice, and underpinned by sound theory, this book will help you encourage and support inclusive play throughout your setting; it is packed with activities for you to try, ideas for small changes to make that can have a big impact and clear guidance on writing a play policy. With a focus on appreciating children as individuals, this book is essential for all early years practitioners and those studying early years at any level. Theresa Casey is a freelance consultant based in Scotland, and President of the International Play Association. Specialising in play and children's rights, inclusion and children's environments, Theresa Casey Consultancy provides tailor-made services for organisations working for and with children.

Table of Contents:
Understanding Inclusive Play Play Environments That Support, Intrigue, Challenge and Inspire Enabling Inclusive Play Opportunities - The Role of Adults Creative Input, Playful Opportunities Risk, Challenge and Uncertainty in Inclusive Settings Working Together Managing for Inclusive Play

About the Author :
Theresa Casey began her career as a playworker and has wide experience of working in both indoor and outdoor play environments, with teachers, support staff and play teams. She is now a freelance consultant.

Review :
′This is an essential book for all early years practitioners looking for practical strategies to enhance and challenge their current play practices and thinking. It is a practical and child-focused book underpinned by sound theory and it provides activities and ideas for those small changes which can have such a big impact on inclusive play for children from birth to eight, throughout a setting. This second edition builds on the successful first edition and the new content includes consideration of early years curricula across the whole of the UK; a new chapter on risk and challenge in play; new case studies; international perspectives; full coverage of the birth to eight age range; and consideration of inclusive play from a children′s rights perspective′ - Special ′Attractively set out and well illustrated, [with] a very useful resource section. Casey has a clear and accessible writing style and is plainly dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of play. This book will help practitioners to audit their setting in terms of the opportunities it provides for play in different contexts, and its focus is clearly on appreciating children as individuals...In particular, the concept of "quick actions for change" could be applied successfully in many contexts [reminding] us that effective practice is reflective and highlights the importance of close observation to engage in active analysis of your setting. Perhaps every establishment should adopt this approach′ - SEN Magazine www.senmagazine.co.uk ′Written from the author′s deep commitment to young children′s play, this second edition is straightforward and enthusiastically written and packed with good advice and activities to both enhance and challenge current play practices and adults′ thinking. It′s a great combination of initial theoretical justification followed by many good examples of play situations to which practitioners can relate′ - Professor Emeritus Janet Moyles, Early Years & Play Consultant