The essence of play

"A unique companion to professional play practice! All play professionals are united in their belief that play is important for children's development - and there are inherent characteristics of play that underpin professional play practice across contexts. Providing an overarching concept of play, drawing together the evidence-base across disciplines and linking theory to practice, The Essence of Play is the ideal handbook for all those working with children. Play acts as a natural resource for children to meet physical, intellectual and emotional challenges and this book, unusually, considers play from children's perspectives rather than adults. It provides a baseline of shared knowledge for all play professionals, exploring the fundamental value of play rather than a 'how to' approach to practice. It considers: The therapeutic potential inherent in play; How play reflects and promotes physical, emotional, intellectual, linguistic and social abilities; The emergence of different types of play skills and why these are important; Cross-cultural patterns in play, gender, atypicality and adversity, highlighting the relevance of these issues to professional play practice; The benefits