Recently, I shared a blog post that highlighted the importance of play through Bob Hughes’ Play Types. I also briefly touched on another crucial play theory that every Forest School leader should know: Perry Else and Gordon Sturrock’s Play Cycle. In this post, we’ll explore this theory in greater depth to support a deeper understanding of play and explain why we prioritise and fiercely protect it at Forest School.
What do we mean by 'prioritise and protect?'
I was invited to observe a Forest School session with a small Reception class. The session began well, with the simple invitation, "If you'd like, you can go and play." I stood under the dappled shade of a Silver Birch tree, watching as some of the children quickly picked up sticks and leaves, naturally entering a 'play frame.' My attention shifted to identifying the different play types emerging. I noticed elements of object play and creative play as the children began building a home for insects. These forms of play are crucial for fostering creativity, abstract thinking, fine motor skills, and perseverance—all essential developments at this tender age.
However, my peaceful observation was abruptly interrupted when the class teacher entered the play frame, holding a stick of their own. "Oh, that's a lovely stick," she said. "I have a nice stick too. Look, I can write my name in the mud! Can you write your name in the mud?"
How would you respond to this?
This scenario may sound familiar; perhaps you've been that teacher at some point. If so, you might have unknowingly become what's known as an 'adulterator,' where a well-intended intervention inadvertently disrupts and anhilates the play frame.
When we talk about 'prioritising and protecting' play, scenes like this are of particular concern. In this case, the formation of letters was prioritised over child-led play. As the adult observing the play, it should have been my role to protect the play frame. I missed the opportunity, but to help restore the play space to the children, I approached the teacher afterward and took some time to introduce her to the 'Play Cycle.'
The Play Cycle
Perry Else and Gordon Sturrock's Play Cycle is a theoretical framework that outlines the process of play as a series of stages, from the initial play cue to the resolution or return to the original state. It helps educators and playworkers understand how play unfolds, the importance of each stage, and how to support children in their play.
You may have never heard of the Play Cycle but once you begin to understand it's components you will begin to see it all around you all of the time.
The Play Cycle relies on the availability of 'loose parts,' which can include natural or man-made items, or even people. It is through the exploration and interaction with these loose parts that children’s curiosity and creativity are stimulated (consider the sticks and leaves in the earlier scenario). Following a constructivist theory of learning, this inquisitiveness drives the child to seek deeper meaning and initiate play. Forest School provides a rich environment for this because of its ever-changing array of loose parts, influenced by weather, seasons, and the child-led approach to learning. This exploratory stage is often referred to as 'metalude,' and it is during this phase that a child is most likely to enter the first stage of the play cycle: 'play cue.'
1. Play Cue: The initial signal from a child that they are ready to engage in play. This could be a verbal or non-verbal gesture, an action, or even an invitation to others to join.
2. Play Return: The response to the play cue, where another child or an adult acknowledges and reciprocates the invitation to play.
3. Play Frame: The space, whether physical or psychological, where play occurs. This frame can be flexible and is often shaped by the players themselves.
4. Play Flow: The ongoing interaction and narrative within the play frame. This is the heart of the play process, where ideas are explored, roles are assumed, and creativity is at its peak.
5. Play Annihilation: The natural or external termination of the play process (adulteration in the earlier scenario), which may lead to a sense of loss or the need for resolution.
The Forest School Leader's Role in Prioritising Play
There is an epidemic of overplanning and over-resourcing Forest School sessions, often stemming from a misunderstanding of the power of play and experiential education. To fully explore the Play Cycle, two key components are essential: freedom and loose parts. Both are abundantly available in nature, which naturally makes Forest School a place where play can flourish. As a Forest school Leader its essential to recognise this as our role by:
1. Creating a Playful Environment
The Forest School Leader is responsible for creating an environment that encourages and nurtures play. This includes selecting diverse, stimulating natural spaces that offer a range of play opportunities. The environment should be safe yet challenging, allowing children to take risks and test their limits within a secure framework. By ensuring natural loose parts, materials, and open-ended resources are available , the leader can step back and allow creativity and imagination to flourish, ensuring that the environment itself acts as a play cue.
2. Observing and Understanding Play Cues
Forest School Leaders must be skilled observers of children's behavior, attuned to the subtle and overt play cues that children exhibit. By understanding these cues, leaders can facilitate the continuation of play without interrupting or directing it. This observation allows the leader to step in only when necessary, such as when a play cycle is at risk of being annihilated prematurely by external factors.
3. Supporting the Play Frame
Protecting the play frame is a critical role of the Forest School Leader. This involves maintaining the space—both physical and psychological—where play occurs. Leaders must be vigilant in preventing unnecessary interruptions, whether from other children, adults, or environmental factors. By doing so, they help maintain the integrity of the play cycle, allowing children to experience uninterrupted play flow.
4. Facilitating Play Flow
While the Forest School Leader's role is often hands-off, there are moments when gentle facilitation can enhance the play flow. This might involve subtly introducing new materials, posing open-ended questions, or participating in play without dominating it. The goal is to keep the play moving forward without dictating its direction, ensuring that children remain in control of their play experiences. This should only be done when invitied into the play frame with a play cue.
5. Balancing Safety and Risk
One of the unique challenges of Forest School is balancing the need for safety with the value of risk in play. Forest School Leaders must assess risks while allowing children the freedom to explore and take calculated risks. This delicate balance is crucial for enabling children to push their boundaries, learn resilience, and develop problem-solving skills, all of which are integral to the play process.
6. Advocating for Play
Beyond the Forest School setting, leaders also serve as advocates for the importance of play. This might involve educating parents, teachers, and the wider community about the benefits of play and the necessity of preserving it in all educational contexts. By championing the value of play, Forest School Leaders help ensure that children have the opportunity to engage in meaningful, self-directed play.
Let's return to the earlier scenario and consider how could the anihalation have been prevented?
The role of the Forest School Leader in prioritising and protecting play is multifaceted and deeply rooted in an understanding of play's intrinsic value. By fostering a supportive environment, recognising and responding to play cues, and safeguarding the play frame, leaders ensure that children can experience the full benefits of play. In doing so, they not only contribute to the immediate joy and learning of the children in their care but also lay the groundwork for lifelong creativity, resilience, and well-being.
Sources:
Else, P. and Sturrock, G. (2009). Therapeutic Playwork Reader.
Forest School Association (2011). Full principles and criteria for good practice. [online] Forestschoolassociation.org. Available at: https://forestschoolassociation.org/full-principles-and-criteria-for-good-practice/.
Gray, P. (2013). Free to learn: why unleashing the instinct to play will make our children happier, more self-reliant, and better students for life. New York: Basic Books.
Hughes, B. (2013). Evolutionary Playwork. Routledge.
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