Articles and videos on providing environments for children’s natural exploration and social learning. Play is a foundational Restorative Practice that promotes mental health and resilience, for both children and adults.
Columns
Putting the nature back in the nurture of our children.
Unstructured outdoor play is in danger of extinction.
R.I. Children’s Museum tries to encourage open-ended play.
Children can learn valuable lessons from time spent at play.
Stranger danger is a uniquely American insanity.
Boring neighborhoods mean boring childhoods.
It takes guts to depict a healthy, happy childhood.
Julia’s columns can also be found at Standing with the Kids.
Videos
Adventure Playgrounds in London – three videos from the Playscapes blog.
The Playground and its Journey from Anarchy to Economic Development Tool – short talk by Nils Norman.
School’s Out – Lessons from a Forest Kindergarten (movie).
Prescription for Play – from the Alliance for Childhood.
The Benefits of Risk in Children’s Play – from the Alliance for Childhood.
Scrapstore Playpods in Action.
Other Web Resources
Rethinking Childhood blog – Playgrounds that rip up the safety rules.
Places of Woe, Places of Possibility – Free Play Network (UK) photo exhibit on bad and good playgrounds.
Design for Play – Guide to creating successful play spaces from Free Play Network (UK).
The Playwork Primer by Penny Wilson, an on-line guide for playworkers from The Alliance for Childhood.
