WELCOME
Hi,
I am Tania, a graduate student at Simon Fraser University (B.C., Canada) and child and family therapist intern. I am seeking volunteers and sponsors for my research study. I would like to learn more about how parents and children think about play and act during play.
- Would you like to find out additional ways to play with your child so that you are BOTH having fun?
- Curious about how play could help strengthen a challenging relationship with your child?
- Or would like to help inform teachers, social workers and counsellors, and fellow parents about the value and effective use of play?
Please check out my Call for Participants and feel free to email me at tbplayproj@gmail.com if you are interested or have any questions!
Working with me are two outstanding undergraduate psychology students, Erin MacLeod and Tresha Simpson, whose contribution to this project in terms of ideas, time, and energy is invaluable. They may also respond to your queries and interest.
You may find more personal details about me on the profile page.
Is What We Do With Kids "PLAY"?
What is play?
As parents we do many activities with our children and assume that it is play for them, but is it? Think about some of the things you do with your child and measure it against the definition below and decide for yourself.
One author (Hughes,1995) defined play as having five essential characteristics:
- personal motivation- children play for no other reason than enjoyment
- it involves the freedom to use one's imagination in role playing or fantasy
- it is a pleasurable activity - it is more or less effortless, especially when there are no conflicts
- it is actively engaging - play consists of continual physical and emotional involvement in the elements of an activity; passivity or indifference is not present
- it is freely chosen - play is a voluntary activity that kids freely participate in. It does not require force or persuasion.
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