Volume 14, Number 2

The authors surveyed public libraries to learn about the opportunities for play they offered and children’s freedom to engage in such play without adult supervision. The authors conclude that, in recent years, public libraries in the United States have increasingly created spaces and programs enabling free play for children and teens. These include “maker spaces” (for constructive play), playrooms with toys and games for young children, and rooms where teens can socialize and play games. The authors describe the survey results and three especially successful library play programs in detail. These results, they conclude, illustrate how librarians have welcomed children and enabled free play in the library through policies of nonintervention and by emphasizing nonintervention by care givers who might otherwise intervene in such play. Key words: free play; maker spaces; play and libraries; public libraries

The author examines guided play among students in a South African classroom using a play-and-write workshop constructed by her and her students. She determines that the workshop displays the characteristics of playful learning, lies on the playful learning spectrum, and fits the criteria for guided play. She concludes that, given the benefits of playful learning and guided play in particular, teaching involving construction with the students and allowing student-directed activity can prove valuable and should be put to service where possible beyond kindergarten. She adds that these methods should be employed in conjunction with other educational goals in South Africa and elsewhere in the developing world to help mitigate such problems as underfunding and large class sizes. Key words: education in South Africa; guided play; play-and-write workshops; playful learning

The author seeks to expand the notion of the “play cycle,” first introduced in 1998, to include the “functional cycle,” with its “perceptual cue,” touted by Jakob von Uexküll. He also discusses Simon Nicholson’s theory of “loose parts” and James J. Gibson’s notion of “affordances.” He outlines the impact of these and his now-revised play cycle and its perceptual cues on professional playwork and other play-related activities, especially those in preschool, child care, and the early years of education. Key words: functional circle; Jakob von Uexküll; play cycle; play process; playwork

The authors investigate the personality traits of parents and children and their significant influence on the behavior of the other. Using the HEXACO model of personality, the authors examine the behavior of one hundred parent-child dyads on a playground to understand broader parent-child relationships. Their analyses reveal two opposed types of parental behavior (engaged par- ents versus unengaged parents) and child behavior (introverted cautious play versus autonomous energetic play) on the playground. The authors assert their study demonstrates that the personality traits of both parents and children as measured by the HEXACO model play a significant role in parental and child behaviors during play and in broader interactions. Key words: HEXACO; parent-child behavior; parent-child interaction; personality traits