In addition to educating parents and families about free and unstructured play, we also make it our mission to pass this knowledge on to new generations of educators, developmentalists, psychologists and parents by offering undergraduate and graduate courses at two Midwestern state universities. These classes, the first of which debuted at Madison in 2007, take place over the summer and coincide with events that host our play days. Accordingly, not only do students play in class with us and learn about play and child development, but they get to see it firsthand by helping create each year's play day event. Every student taking the class will create an activity or game to bring to the play day. They are not only responsible for collecting recycled/reused materials for their game, but for bringing that game and information about the game and its developmental benefits to the play day. Each student remains at the day as an expert to interact with families, encourage parents to play with children, and answer any questions patrons might have about the psychology of play. In this way, we hope to offer a transformative experience to our students; they are not merely sitting through another semester of lectures, rather they are becoming experts in a specific area and practicing that expertise with their greater community.
"The most beneficial thing for me [about PlayDay] was being
able to watch the kids and see them being creative with really simple things."
-Alyssa Divine, University of Wisconsin-Madison student, 2008
able to watch the kids and see them being creative with really simple things."
-Alyssa Divine, University of Wisconsin-Madison student, 2008
What We Study
* Definitions of play
* History of play * Developmental theories of play * Play & social development * Play & physical development * Play & culture * Play & gender * Play & technology * The recess debate * Play & children with disabilities * Play therapy * Play environments & safety * Play in curriculum |
What We Play
* Recess games
* Cross-cultural games * Computer/video games * Playing with food/cooking * Making play dough * Making slime * Brain teasers * Playing with antique toys * Junkyard Sports (Bernie DeKoven) |
What We've Created
The following is a small sample of games and activities created by students in the Madison and Mankato summer play classes
Carnival Games
MSU - Mankato Play Day 2012
Using bottles, pieces of wood and hoops, we created a carnival game that let's children toss rings at the bottles.
Using bottles, pieces of wood and hoops, we created a carnival game that let's children toss rings at the bottles.
Fishing
UW - Madison PlayDay 2007
Using magnetic poles, participants try to catch paper fish of different colors and sizes.
Using magnetic poles, participants try to catch paper fish of different colors and sizes.
Music is FUNtastic!
UW - Madison PlayDay 2007
Families make homemade instruments from recycled household items, such as paper tubes, tissue boxes, and rubber bands.
Families make homemade instruments from recycled household items, such as paper tubes, tissue boxes, and rubber bands.
Obstacle Course
MSU - Mankato Play Day 2009
We created an obstacle course using garbage bags to hop in and boxes to crawl through; be the first to make it through the course and sit on the whoopie cushion!
We created an obstacle course using garbage bags to hop in and boxes to crawl through; be the first to make it through the course and sit on the whoopie cushion!
Painting Nature
MSU-Mankato Play Day 2011
Parents and children use household items to paint their observations of things from nature.
Parents and children use household items to paint their observations of things from nature.
Peanut Plunge
UW - Madison PlayDay 2008
Using a 'trunk' of cardboard tubes with a hook (end of plastic hanger) attached, players attempt to pick up cardboard tube 'peanuts'.
Using a 'trunk' of cardboard tubes with a hook (end of plastic hanger) attached, players attempt to pick up cardboard tube 'peanuts'.
