Dear IPA/USA members,

Very sad news. Mary Sunshine (Sunny) Davidson, a long time member and a person as sunny as her name, died on No-

vember 5. Sunny exemplified the spirit of IPA: always upbeat, friendly, and commit-

ted to the child’s right to play. We will miss her. Our sympathy to her family and

friends.

The theme of this issue is play and mental health. Thank you, Helle Burlingame, for

being guest editor. From infancy to the senior years, play is an important part of men-

tal health as it promotes learning, connections with others, and enjoyment of life. Psy-

chiatrist Dr Stuart Brown founded the National Institute for Play following his

groundbreaking research on the deleterious effect of play deprivation. He will be a

keynote speaker at our upcoming conference. I recently joined my 92 year-old mother

-in-law as her Florida retirement community, Moosehaven, hosted a Halloween cele-

bration for neighborhood children and their families. See her picture on the next page.

What a playful event for the hosts as well as the community. We never outgrow the

need for play and what better way to play than to share the fun with children and

youth. In addition to the mental health article which is on infancy, we include two

other articles, one on play with recyclable materials and the other on determining the

right time to start kindergarten (The Goldilocks Dilemma). Neither of these articles

were submitted specifically on the topic of mental health, but look for mental health

connections as you read them.

It is time to make plans to attend the IPA/USA Triennial Conference to be held with

The Association for the Study of Play in Atlanta, March 10-13, 2010. I suggest you

take time now to make your hotel reservations. We will have a series of field trips on

Wednesday afternoon and will close with a PlayDay ending at 5:00 on Saturday. It

would be great if you can stay Saturday night. In this issue is the conference poster, designed by Cynthia Gentry, head of

the Atlanta Taskforce on Play and an IPA/USA member, She took my rather primitive poster design and turned it into

something informative and attractive. Thanks, Cynthia. (Continued on page 2)

Message from the President, Olga Jarrett, Georgia State University,ojarrett@mindspring.com

IPA/USA QUARTERLY

American Association for the Child’s Right to Play, ipausa.org Fall 2009

Page 1 IPA/USA QUARTERLY

Call for papers and upcoming

events

3-6

The Contribution of Play to

Infant Mental Health

7-9

Playing: The Possibilities for

All Ages

10-12

The Goldilocks Dilemma 13-16

Membership Application 16

Inside this issue

Mental health problems cover a wide spectrum, from distress to depression and loss of touch with reality and may inter-

fere with the ability to cope on a day to day basis. In the United States, 10-20% of the children (about 15 million) meet

diagnostic criteria for a mental health disorder (American Psychological Association, 2008, www.apa.org).

Play is not recognized enough for its de-stressing abilities, allowing children in their daily lives to concentrate on

"something else" through play or to actually confront what is bothering them through play. Play can offer flexible solu-

tions to a problem, and the feedback from an accepting playmate often has very comforting effects. In this issue and the

next issue of IPA/USA Quarterly, we include articles on mental health. The first article appears in this issue and dis-

cusses the contribution of play to the mental health of infants.

Editor Helle Burlingame, Cand. Psych., MS Psychology

Director KOMPAN Institute

HelBur.kompan.com

Mental Health and Play , Guest Editor, Helle Burlingame

(Olga’s letter continued)

Please make copies and distribute it to others who are interested in play. Though the deadline for submissions was No-

vember 15, we include the call for proposals. If you have something you would like present, please contact Michael

Patte, mpatte@bloomu.edu. Although he has received over 90 proposals, he will still accept more. Try to get your pro-

posal in within the next few weeks so we can finalize our plans for room space.

Please register for the conference on line at www.regonline.com/play_conference_urban_play . There is a small service

charge but on-line registration allows you to use credit cards, and regonline.com provides us a list of registrants and

name tags. You can renew your membership on line or by check with the form at the end of this issue. Memberships run

according to the calendar year and joining now makes you a member until the end of December 2010.

Note that we are planning a book on play at school. See page 6 for the call for manuscripts. In an era of No Child Left

Behind, there is very little play in some schools. Drama, role plays, art, music, classroom games, recess, and science

from toys are ways that play and playfulness can be incorporated into the classroom. If you have done research on play

and playful activities at school or if you are a practitioner who makes learning fun, consider sending a manuscript.

Kudos to Diversity Chair, Georgianna Duarte, for starting the first student chapter associated with IPA/USA. Based on a

board decision, students are encouraged to form a student organization on play and join IPA/USA at the organization

rate of $75. Although individuals will not receive Play Rights magazine and the newsletters, the student organization

will receive copies that they can share. Of course, we also continue to encourage students to join as individual student

members. For more information, contact Georgianna at duartefree@aol.com or Christi Moore, Student Membership

Chair at ececdm@langate.gsu.edu.

You will soon be receiving information on the upcoming election of IPA/USA officers. Initially you will receive the

nominating committee’s slate with biographical information and the opportunity for further nominations of yourself or

others. Terms are for three years. After we receive biographical information on the additional nominees, you will receive

an e-ballot with bios on all nominees to return with your vote. Please take part in this election.

Enjoy the upcoming holidays and we hope to see you in March.

Playfully,

Olga Jarrett,

IPA/USA president

Page 2 IPA/USA QUARTERLY

Mrs. Verna Wilson and Darth Vader at the Moosehaven Halloween

party, Orange Park, Florida, 2009.

CALL FOR PAPERS 36th Annual International Conference

The Association for the Study of Play (TASP)

25th Anniversary Conference

The American Association for the Child’s Right to Play (IPA/USA)

March 10-13, 2010

Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia

Theme: Urban Play

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: November 15, 2009

Proposals are encouraged from all academic disciplines related to play and from play practitioners/advocates.

Formats include individual papers, workshops, roundtables, and posters. Presentations will be organized accord-

ing to three tracks: play advocacy, play practice, and play research. Submissions from undergraduate researchers

and graduate students are encouraged. Submission of proposals after the November 15th deadline will be consid-

ered only if space on the conference program is available. Your complete proposal must include the accompany-

ing cover sheet provided below and a 150-word abstract describing your proposed session. Proposals will be re-

viewed.

Individual Papers – These sessions will be arranged by research themes and comprise four related papers within

a 90 minute time slot.

Workshops – These 90 minute sessions will focus on current issues in play centered on practice.

Roundtables – These sessions will include informal presentations of student research, research in progress, pilot

studies, and play-oriented programs. Presenters will discuss their research with small groups of interested partici-

pants for three 20-minute time slots.

Posters – Participants wishing to share their work in a visual medium may submit posters presenting new re-

search and scholarly work. The sessions will be 60 minutes in length and provide opportunities for presenters to

discuss their work informally with interested participants.

Send all proposal materials to:

Michael Patte

Bloomsburg University

1107 McCormick Building

Bloomsburg, PA 17815

Or by email with attachment (Word document format) to: mpatte@bloomu.edu

CALL FOR PAPERS 36th Annual International Conference

IPA/USA QUARTERLY Page 4

The Association for the Study of Play (TASP)

25th Anniversary Conference

The American Association for the Child’s Right to Play (IPA/USA)

March 10-13, 2010

Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: November 15, 2009

Select Presentation Format:

___ Individual Presentation ___ Workshop ___ Roundtables ___ Posters

Select Presentation Focus:

___ Play Advocacy ___ Play Practice ___ Play Research

Person Submitting the Proposal:

Title of presentation:

Name: _______________________________________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________________________

City: _________ State: ________ Zip code: _______

Country: ________________________

Phone: _______________ Fax: _______________ E-mail: ____________________________

Position: _____________________________________________________________________

Institutional Affiliation: ________________________________________________________

Co-author(s) or Panel members:

Name: ________________________ Institution: ______________________

Name: ________________________ Institution: ______________________

Name: ________________________ Institution: ______________________

Scheduling Preferences:

We will try to meet your requests but we cannot promise a particular time or day.

____ Thursday, March 11 ____ Friday, March 12 ____ Saturday, March 13

____ Early Morning (before 10:30 am)

____ Morning (10:30-12:00)

____ Afternoon (2:00-4:00 pm)

____ Late Afternoon (4:00-6:00 pm)

Audiovisual Needs:

____ VCR/DVD w/monitor

____ PowerPoint projector

____ Flip Chart

Send this completed form along with a 100-150 word abstract by email with attachment to (Word document format) to:

mpatte@bloomu.edu or by mail on a CD:

Michael Patte

Bloomsburg University

1107 McCormick Building

Bloomsburg, PA 17815

Page 5 IPA/USA QUARTERLY

Call for Manuscripts

American Association for the ChiId’s Right to Play (IPA/USA) www.ipausa.org

IPA/USA is issuing a call for manuscripts for an upcoming book on the importance of play in schools. As the emphasis

on test scores increases and recess and other free play opportunities decrease, the importance of play as an integral part

of the curriculum becomes more important. Children are investing more time in electronic play that often isolates them

from peers thus limiting opportunities for social play. Furthermore, children are often spending time in confinement in

the guise of before and after school programs that do not permit children to play or socialize with their peers. In some

instances where recess has been eliminated, P.E. time has been expanded resulting in the emphasis of isolated skill build-

ing but little else. Play has been removed from many kindergartens. There is extensive research on the importance of

play in the building and expansion of neural pathways, in enhancing fluid thinking, and in building social skills; yet the

push from NCLB has forced states and local school boards to deemphasize play and increase skill building, resulting in

the teaching of standards as opposed to children.

The focus of this book will be play as pedagogy. It will include both research and practice on using play to enhance so-

cial and emotional development, creativity, problem solving ability, fitness, interest in learning, and actual learning.

Listed below are possible topics:

High stakes testing and play

Play infused across the curriculum

The link between recess and mental health

Stress reduction and coping skills through play

Brain development through play

The effects of obesity on play and learning

The implications of technological play and cognitive development

International perceptions of the importance of play in schools

Indoor versus outdoor recess

Play in before/after school programs

The effects of the arts (visual, music and/or drama on development

The role of P.E. and recess

Play as assessment

Culture expressed through play

Socialization process and school behavior through play

Parent’s perception on the importance of play

The child’s perception on the importance of play

The role of play in innovation and creativity

Classroom games

We are accepting original articles including research, reviews of research, and practical ideas for teachers. Each article

will form a chapter in the book. Each manuscript must be submitted electronically as a word document and should be no

longer than 12 double spaced, word-processed pages (not including references). Use Times New Roman 12 point-font

and APA style (APA Publication Manual, Fifth Edition). Digital photographs are encouraged. Submissions will be blind

reviewed. Accepted manuscripts may need to be edited to fit formatting issues or length of the book. Submission dead-

line is January 31, 2010. Send submissions or inquiries to Karen Hutchison 585-395-5548 khutchis@brockport.edu or

Tom Reed 864-503-5579 treed@uscupstate.edu.

Karen L. Hutchison, EdD

Education & Human Development

The College at Brockport

350 New Campus Dr.

Brockport, NY 14420

Thomas L Reed, PhD

USC Upstate SOE

800 University Way

Spartanburg, SC 29303

IPA/USA QUARTERLY Page 6

A father picks up his baby so they are face to face. The baby

is watching the father’s expression intently, as the father

grins widely so does the baby. The father responds to the

baby’s grin by blinking. The baby giggles and squirms. The

father giggles back to the baby, mimicking the baby’s pitch

and volume. When the baby stops, the father pauses while

maintaining the warm connection that has been created

through this playful interaction. The baby smiles again and

the dance continues. This exchange lasts for several minutes

with bursts and pauses of activity.

This type of play helps form strong attachments.

Strong attachments form when caregivers and parents are

emotionally available for an infant (Zeanan, 2000). Infants

develop through relationships. It is the quality of these first

relationships that set the course for positive mental health.

Infant mental health focuses on the social and emotional

well-being of infant and their caregivers. Play is a universal

component of child development. Through play, infants

communicate and explore the environment around them.

Play can serve as a catalyst for successful social functioning,

recovery and even a tool for intervention in an infant’s de-

velopment (Rossetti, 2001).

An infant’s first relationships develop through facial

interactions. The human face is one of the most important

things for an infant to watch (Slater, et al. 1998). In play sce-

narios similar to the one described above, infants have the

opportunity to be stimulated with face to face contact, while

the caregiver or parent can practice responsiveness. This

dance facilitates coordination between the parents’ or care-

givers’ intentions and emotions with the infant. As the baby

points, laughs, pauses, or reaches for the caregiver, the care-

giver reciprocates movements and language while regulating

her response to match that of the infant. In most situations,

this is a natural interaction which requires no forethought.

However, sometimes the caregiver has difficulty with these

exchanges resulting in ineffective and stressful interactions

between infant and caregiver.

Tronick (2005) developed an experiment to study

the social and emotional development of infants. In his ―still

face‖ experiment, during a playful exchange with her infant,

a parent is prompted to suddenly flatten her affect. The re-

sults of this experiment revealed that most often, a baby first

responds to her mother’s unresponsiveness by attempting

previous engagement strategies. When this is ineffective, she

reaches out for her mother then screeches when the mother

does not reciprocate her attempts. The baby then usually

begins to show signs of stress and anxiety exhibited by

the baby arching her back, avoiding eye contact, and

finally crying in desperation. The mother’s ―still‖ ex-

pression is held for two minutes. After the two minutes,

the mother is prompted to return to play. There is a

sense of relief displayed by the baby when the mother

returns to interacting. This experiment demonstrates an

infant’s sensitivity to facial stimuli and need for engage-

ment by caregivers and parents.

Play is an important facilitator of brain develop-

ment in infants due to the rapid pace of brain develop-

ment during the first few years of life (Perry, et al.

2000). Although brain development is very much a life-

long process, the brain is at its most impressionable state

during the first three years of life. This means that the

brain is at its most optimal learning potential. Play is an

important process in this progression. As the infant’s

brain advances, simultaneously, the infant’s play reper-

toire is expanding.

Play in the first two years of life changes dra-

matically. Play generally develops in three phases. Sen-

sory play is followed by representational play, and fi-

nally by symbolic play (Brazelton, 1993). Incorporating

peers into play is another process that evolves as the

child’s social-emotional development continues.

The Contribution of Play to Infant Mental Health

LaDonna Atkins, Ed.D., & Amy Huffer, LCSW

Page 7 IPA/USA QUARTERLY

Infants up to twelve months engage in all types of

sensory activities. Infants in this age engage in a stage of

manipulative action (Lezine, 1973; Piaget, 1951). Infant

play is relatively simple, but infants start to develop cause

and effect during this time. For example, the child begins to

discover that a favorite toy makes a sound with a push of a

button, and that repeated pressing of the button generates

that sound over and over.

This type of causality also occurs within the in-

fant’s relationships with caregivers and parents. In the situa-

tion where an infant feels discomfort, he cries out. The par-

ent or caregiver comes to the child and soothes him through

feeding, diapering or other care giving techniques. The in-

fant feels comforted. When this interaction is a regular ex-

perience, he learns that the world is a trustworthy place and

a sense of security begins to unfold. The main point of this

sensorimotor play is the occurrence of pleasure and the feel-

ing of security. Using the caregiver as a secure base, the in-

fant can begin to step outside of the dyad and explore other

parts of the environment; all the while knowing that he can

return to the safety and comfort of the caregiver (Brazelton,

1993). Yet, if the needs of the infant are not met, and the

infant continues to feel discomfort, then the infant is less

likely to feel free to explore through play. He learns that the

world is untrustworthy, thereby restricting his ability to in-

teract with the world in a way that promotes optimal devel-

opment.

If the infant successfully masters sensory play, the

infant will begin to play with objects more conventionally.

This is known as representational play. Research has found

that object exploration becomes highly symbolic through

play opportunities (Sinclair, 1970; Lezine, 1973). The 18

month old will imitate his father talking on the phone with

his own toy phone. He may push the buttons, mumble enthu-

siastically, and abruptly say goodbye, hanging up the phone

dramatically. The toy is being used predictably within this

context. The infant is practicing communication skills and

exploring interpersonal relationships. An engaged caregiver

or parent might imitate the infant’s play by picking up an-

other telephone to talk with the infant. His success and sub-

sequent support from caregivers during play will positively

impact the child’s developing sense of self (Lerner, C. &

Greenip, S., 2004). Through the process of play, the child

engages in problem-solving strategies. Sometimes, however,

when there is a low threshold for frustration, this can quickly

become a battle of wills between caregiver or parent and

child. During this stage, it is important that the caregiver

encourage problem-solving play while providing necessary

safety by setting the child up for success.

Within the realm of representational play lives the

magical world of imagination. At 24 months, now com-

monly referred to as a toddler, a child should begin to use

symbolic representations to explore fantasy and reality

(Brazelton, 1993). The toddler starts to make logical

connections, and representational play expands. Play

activities range from playing with familiar objects to

acting out fantasy-based roles. At this stage, a toddler is

an active learner and has to have opportunities for self-

directed activities through play and other exploratory

adventures as a means of independent play and healthy

development. Play at this stage allows the child to cope

with difficult experiences and feelings, such as separa-

tion, anxiety, anger, loss, and fear (Lieberman, 1993).

For infants with difficult life circumstances,

such as self regulation problems or developmental vul-

nerabilities, play may be even more critical. Casby

(2003) describes how the domain of play is critical to

intervention efforts. There are many programs and mod-

els which use an infant’s spontaneous activity in free

play to enhance parental sensitivity and responsiveness.

Through play interactions, development and

relational struggles can be modified. Mothers learn to

better synchronize their behavior with their infants dur-

ing play; thus, impacting positive affect, development,

and self regulation. During play interactions, too little

stimulation may actually bore infants where too much

stimulation may over excite or upset an infant. During

play, it is imperative to read the infant’s cues and adjust

the play episode as necessary to meet the needs of the

infant.

Page 8 IPA/USA QUARTERLY

Self regulation begins with control of arousal and

sensory stimulation in the early months of life, but leads to

the emergence of impulse control in the second year (Kopp,

1982). Shonkoff and Phillips (2000) describe self regulation

as a child’s ability to gain control of body functions, manage

powerful emotions, and maintain focus and attention. Play

allows an infant critical opportunities to practice these self

regulation skills. Play can aide in the development of self

regulation as infants are exposed to manageable challenges

as part of their daily experiences (Perry, 2005).

As children begin to explore thoughts and feelings

through play, play therapy can be an important tool espe-

cially for child therapists to engage children who are suffer-

ing from childhood mental health disorders (Lawvner &

Blankenship, 2008). There are many types of play therapy.

At its core, play can be said to ―alleviate lingering anxiety

and fear over what happened by playing it out, just as adults

find emotional relief from talking it out‖ (Lieberman, 1993).

Within a play therapy context, the therapist is holding, iden-

tifying and validating the child’s experience of intense feel-

ings within the safety of a therapeutic setting. The therapist

utilizes the child’s play themes to reflect the child’s feelings

and intentions, while allowing the child to direct the play.

Repetitive themes may indicate a disturbance, which the

child is trying to cope with or better understand. With play

therapy, the therapist responds to the child in the language of

play, meeting the child at the child’s level with both verbal

and nonverbal strategies. Play therapy facilitates the expres-

sion of emotions and can be an effective treatment option for

infants and young children experiencing challenges.

From infancy, the child utilizes play in order to ex-

perience the world. It is a determining factor in overall brain

development and attachment to caregivers, which are the

foundations to healthy living. Infants’ successful play ex-

periences enhance the capacity for social relatedness and

these relationships become increasingly important for

healthy mental development. The infant mental health field

is growing due to interest in and concern for the psychoso-

cial and physical well-being of infants and their families, as

well as the long-term life benefits of increased infant mental

health. The interdisciplinary field of infant mental health

recognizes the importance and the value of play. It is an op-

timal time to join forces with the mental health field to best

utilize and educate regarding the importance of play.

References

Brazelton, T. B. (1992). Touchpoints: Your child’s emo-

tional and behavioral development. Massachusetts:

DeCapo Presss.

Casby, M. W. (2003). Developmental assessment of play: a

model for early intervention. Communication Disor-

ders Quarterly, 24 (4) 175-83.

Kopp, C. (1982). The antecedents of self-regulation: A

developmental perspective.

Developmental Psychology, 18, 199–214.

Lawvner, T. & Blankenship, K. (2008). Play therapy: A

case-based example of a nondirective approach.

Psychiatry, 5 (10), 24-28.

Lerner, C. & Greenip, S. (2004). The power of play:

Learning through play from birth to three. Re-

trieved September 13, 2009, from: http://

www.zerotothree.org/site/DocServer/

ThePowerofPlay.pdf?docID=161

Lezine, I. (1973). The transition from sensorimotor to

earliest symbolic function in early development.

In Nurnberger, J. I., Biological and Environ-

mental Determinations of Early Development.

Baltimore : Williams & Wilkins.

Lieberman, A.F. (1993). The emotional life of the tod-

dler. New York: Free Press.

Perry, B. D. (2005). Self-regulation: The second core

strength.Retrived: September 14, 2009 from:

http://teacher.scholastic.com/bruceperry/

self_regulation.htm

Perry, B., Hogan, M., Marlin, S. (2000). Curiosity,

pleasure and play: A neurodevelopmental per-

spective. Retrieved November 9, 2009 from:

http://www.traumacentral.net

Piaget, J. (1951). Play, dreams, and imitation in child-

hood. New York: Norton.

Rossetti, L. (2001). Communication intervention: Birth

to three (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Singular.

Shonkoff, J., & Phillips D., eds. (2000). From neurons

to neighborhoods: The science of early childhood

development. A report of The National Research

Council. Washington, DC: National Academies

Press.

Sinclair, H. (1970). The transition from sensory-motor

behavior to symbolic activity. Interchange, 1, 119

-125.

Slater, A., von der Schulenburg, C., Brown, E., Bade-

noch, M., Butterworth, G., Parsons, S., Samuels,

C. (1998). Newborn infants prefer attractive faces.

Infant Behavior and Development, 21, 345-354.

Tronick, E. Z. (2005). Why is connection with others so

critical? The formation of dyadic states of con-

sciousness: coherence governed selection and the

co-creation of meaning out of messy meaning

making. J. Nadel and D. Muir (eds). Emotional

development. Oxford University Press, 293- 315.

Zeanan, C. (Ed.). (2000). Handbook of infant mental

health. (2nd ed.) . New York: Guildford Press.

Page 9 IPA/USA QUARTERLY

Page 10 IPA/USA QUARTERLY

Playing: The Possibilities for All Ages

Marcia L. Nell, Ph.D., Millersville University, mnell@ISAEplay.org

Walter F. Drew, Ed.D. Institute for Self Active Education, wdrew@ISAEplay.org

True play as described by David Elkind is ―as funda-

mental a human disposition as loving and working‖ and has

no preset goal (p. 36). True play is spontaneously created by

the player(s) and is in direct response to our human need to

play or to have fun – for its own sake. Self active play is

true play and refers to the basic human need to seek enjoy-

ment through the energetic interaction and transformative

qualities initiated within one’s being during play. This arti-

cle explores three principles of ―Self Active Play‖ which are

rooted in the belief each of us, adults as well as children,

have a developmental need to experience our own innate

creativity through self expression. It is through the process

of self active play, fully engaging hands, heart and mind,

that we spontaneously express and discover the inner capac-

ity to create harmony and order. In this way, self active play

becomes a powerful medium for ―self‖ discovery.

Self active play is a process that begins with an

open mind. Simply fiddling around with open-ended materi-

als, such as blocks, paints, clay, Styrofoam packing, card-

board tubes, colorful plastic caps, bamboo pieces, fabric,

yarn, stones, rocks, wood scraps, wire, or wooden twigs al-

lows the mind to focus and inspires imagination. The non-

representational, un-prescribed natures of these types of ma-

terials intrigue our imagination and tap into a basic human

need to express thoughts and feelings through play. Self

active play with open ended materials combine to offer an

infinite number of possibilities to discovering new self

knowledge.

Self Active Play Principle 1

Self active play is a source of creative en-

ergy, a positive force and safe context for

constructing meaningful self knowledge and

revitalizing the human spirit across the con-

tinuum of the human life-cycle.

Many children’s play theorists have developed

elaborate models to explain how play propels children’s de-

velopmental growth. Self active play awakens the aware-

ness of the inner creative potential, such strengths as hope,

will, purpose and competence (Erikson, 1988). Self active

play promotes profound insight and inspiration for adults.

“As I wrapped and curled the wire, I began to focus on

smaller, thinner, brightly colored wires sticking out from the

tan and gray exterior. While I hadn’t been excited by my

materials earlier, I became thrilled with the idea of peeling

off the outer layers to get to the beauty underneath. I want to

be able to strip away my outer protective layers. There is a

potential for so much beauty if I can only relax and let my-

self be uncovered. The possibilities with the small, bright

wires amazed me and I want to further explore that in future

play. I organized the wire and became beautiful and full of

potential for me.” (H.)

Elkind describes how teachers can help children by

providing them ―materials that leave room for the imagina-

tion… [and] sufficient time to innovate with these materi-

als‖ (pg. 41). In our self active play training workshops for

early childhood educators, we use open ended, reusable re-

sources as play materials for self discovery. The unusual

nature of these materials summons full sensory exploration,

imagining the possibilities, and reveling in the flow between

the materials, the play, and personal meaning to your life.

We believe this shifts the construction of knowledge para-

digm from external control to a more internal intuitive proc-

ess which offers the player the safety and freedom to self

actively create new knowledge from within.

In this role of creator, the player realizes and devel-

ops their capacity to create and imagine. Being creative

means finding ways of experiencing and expressing the feel-

ings of the heart, the thoughts of the mind, the movement of

the body, what is seen by the eyes, and what is heard by the

ears. This growing awareness of one’s own abilities to

more fully express in creative ways begins with the fingers

fiddling with materials. The fiddling leads to focus, open-

ness, imagination, and being fully present in the play space.

The mind pays attention to the senses, feeling arise. In that

play space the individual perceives new possibilities and

deeper understandings of relationships. We have found

adults enjoy taking part in self active play which means be-

ing fully and sensorily enabled. After playing with open

ended materials in this way, the participants are asked to

reflect on their play experiences.

―At first I didn’t want to do this,…But then, as I got started,

I made my initials, little circles, squares, rectangles and then

a little tiny house. All my inner feelings started coming out.

At first it didn’t mean anything, then it focused on certain

things in my life. I thought about my kids, and how I want to

protect them as well as myself,…because you put your inner

feelings on the back burner and deal with your children’s

feelings instead. Then, when you come to something like

this, you look at yourself and you have to deal with those

feelings,…You realize that regardless of what comes or

goes, you have to take a moment for yourself. Inner feelings

can destroy you as well as build you up. Even though you

have feelings, you have to question those feeling and bring

them out so you can go on. I’m very organized, and I try not

to let my kids know that I am burdened. But you have to

take that moment for yourself. You have to build yourself

back up so you can go on.‖

Self Active Play Principle 2

Hands on self active play and art making with open-

ended materials reconnect the individual with ear-

lier stages of human development, spontaneously

balancing and strengthening hope, will, purpose,

competence, fidelity, love, care and wisdom.

Self active play experiences for adults using open

ended materials also provide an opportunity to reconnect

with earlier life experiences. While adults innovate with the

materials, previous experiences are recalled and reflected

upon. Many times these recollections enable the player to

better understand the significance embedded in those earlier

experiences. The power of the play results in dealing with

or healing wounds, in this way making play a positive force

for balancing and strengthening.

“Before I felt tension and stress, now I feel peacefulness. I

was feeling my connection to my sister who just passed three

weeks ago. As I strung the plastic rings I thought of hope.

As I wrapped them around the wooden pieces that stood up

at different heights in the plastic cubes, I thought of how my

sister and I were always connected and intertwined. Then

as the thread emerged from the sculpture, I was able to form

a face with two eyes, nose and smile with the thread trailing

off into eternity to represent our happy times and comfort I

will receive from the happy memories.” (N., OH)

Self Active Play Principle 3

Self active play’s intrinsic qualities include

spontaneity of the spirit, thinking deeply,

feeling intensely and building a trust in

one’s intuitive self.

While fiddling with open ended materials adults

become vividly conscious of the essential human need to

experience self active play as a way of awakening their crea-

tive and intuitive selves. Self active play provides a safe

context for adults to experiment, take risks, and explore in

order to better understand their world and themselves. Often

times the adults realize the metaphor that arises between the

open ended materials and their own life situations. This

metaphorical realization moves with the adult as they con-

tinue to reflect on the metaphor beyond the immediate play

experience. Through further reflection the player opens up

possibilities for new understandings, much like the open

ended materials themselves. As adults participate in this

play they come to appreciate the importance and value of

play as a lifelong transformational process.

“I built a fortress. I just started laying pieces down and

then I formed one in the shape of a wooden heart, my heart,

and suddenly was overcome with the overwhelming need to

protect it, to guard it, to keep it from breaking. It’s funny

how I can see what I should do when I look at the blocks, yet

taking that path, the one to protect it, is much harder. The

rocks on the outside are the circles of people who want in,

who want to know me, but I keep out. The ones of the inside

are my friends. Yet no rock can get close to my wooden

heart, the center of my fortress, the center of me. I’m scared

I’ll never love again. I’m scared of being alone. I’m scared

mostly that someone again will be able to bring me this low

again. I was myself and I wasn’t enough. What makes it

different next time?” (L., Florida, 2009).

This innate value of play is an especially important

concept to reinforce with teachers and parents of young chil-

dren. Miller and Almon (2009) state in their report Crisis in

the Kindergarten: Why Children Need to Play in School,

―Educating kindergarten teachers so that they can develop

strong and effective play-based programs will be a challenge

requiring workshops, courses, and mentoring‖ (pg. 54). Our

self active play experience training workshops give adults

the opportunity to experience the benefits of play and the

time in which to reflect on those benefits. Through the re-

flective component of the workshop the adults create their

value system about the importance of play based on direct

personal experiences. The teacher or play leader is the key

to successful self active play experiences for self and others.

The leader or coach is an advocate for creative expression

and through that for the keener awareness of one’s self.

Betty Neugebauer suggests ―Children need [playful]

adults in their lives, people who will model the importance

of play to living‖ (as cited in Miller and Almon, 2009, pg.

54). David Elkind concurs ―Most of all we need to adopt a

playful attitude that will encourage our children to do the

same‖ (p. 41). So, play is not something that should occur

in childhood and then vanishes as we ―grow up.‖ But rather,

self active play is something that should be a ubiquitous part

of the way in which we live our lives. Think of the possi-

bilities: the freedom to engage in the transformative power

of self active play to guide and renew the human spirit

throughout life.

References

Elkind, D., (2004). Thanks for the memory: The lasting

value of true play. In D. Koralek (Ed.) Spotlight on

young children and play. (pp. 36-41). Washington,

D.C.: National Association for the Education of

Young Children.

Erikson, J., (1988) Wisdom and the senses: The way of

creativity. NY: W. W. Norton & Company.

Miller, E., and Almon, J. (2009). Crisis in the kindergarten:

Why children need to play in school. College Park,

MD: Alliance for Childhood.

IPA/USA QUARTERLY Page 11

IPA/USA QUARTERLY Page 12

Playing: The Possibilities for All Ages

Engagement!

IPA/USA QUARTERLY Page 13

Picture this:

It’s September 1st, and a new school year is beginning, along with the ―Kindergarten dilemma‖ confronting many par-

ents and teachers. A child is five years old or will be five years old by the legal cut-off date for school entrance -- is start-

ing Kindergarten now the right decision for every child who meets the age requirement?

Add to the dilemma that in Connecticut the cut-off date is January 1, Kentucky is October 1, Georgia is September 1,

Indiana is July 1, and so on. Add to the dilemma that Kindergarten curriculum has changed in the vast majority of

schools in the US in the last decade or two. Most American Kindergartners are now expected to sit at tables or desks,

work independently, and learn what was traditionally taught in first grade—namely how to read.

Meet Megan and Max:

Megan’s birthday is October 21st. She is nearly five years, eleven months old and the youngest of three sisters. She has

learned to read through exposure to print, letters, and sounds; and by listening to and following along with story after

story read to her by both her parents and her older, third-grade sister. She has been begging to go to school like her sib-

lings all year. She can follow directions on Sunday School activity sheets, plays kindly with other children, and is curi-

ous about all insects and critters she discovers in the backyard. Her mother knows that she is ready for Kindergarten and

has been for some time.

Max is 4, turning five in about one more month. His birthday is September 26th. He is the middle child with two other

brothers, each a year apart. He loves to run, run, run and be active every moment of the waking day. He still needs his

afternoon nap so he can refuel and be on his way again. His mom describes him as ―all boy!‖ but she is worried that a

full day at school will be too much for her little guy. After all, he does not want to sit and listen to the ―boring old story‖

at story hour at the public library. He tends to punch if he doesn’t get his way or the toy he wants to play with now. In

his world, that’s how to survive with two other brothers. He can count to ten and reluctantly write his name, but he could

care less about letters, numbers, books, or computers.

Max and Megan will be in the same Kindergarten classroom. They will be expected to behave in the same ways and

learn the same things at their local school because both children will meet the cut-off date of five by October 1st. What

are the chances they will have the same experience and both meet with success? If they are entering a ―ready‖ Kinder-

garten classroom with the resources and support to meet the needs of every child in a developmentally appropriate way,

perhaps the odds are good, but in our current economic and political climate, even if recovering, most schools are still

struggling to maintain funding and meet the demands and lingering effects of ―No Child Left Untested.‖

So what is a parent to do?

Parents with a child like Max may have more choices than they realize, and do have a responsibility to find out what the

options are rather than simply acquiescing to what other parents are doing. They can choose to push their child ahead

regardless of the school climate and expectations because, after all, the child does meet the cut-off date. They can choose

to keep their child out a year, if this is financially possible for the family, because they think he will benefit from the ex-

tra time to develop. Or they can search for -- and perhaps more importantly advocate for -- a school or classroom that

meets and supports the learning needs of their child, where he is developmentally right now.

Hence, the Goldilocks Dilemma: Overplacement, Red-Shirting, or Just Right

Parents are often left with a quandary between what may be ―too hard, too easy, or just right‖ for their child’s level of

development and learning needs. The first thing Max’s parents should do is ask questions – whether or not they have

The Goldilocks Dilemma: When is the “Right Time” to Start Kindergarten?

Marcy Guddemi, Gesell Institute of Human Development

Crista Marchesseault, Gesell Institute of Human Development

First published in SEEN Magazine, Fall 2009. Used with permission

options for where to send Max to school, they can learn more about the curriculum and expectations where he will be

enrolled, and they can advocate for best practices at their local school.

One of the options that Max’s parents might choose is to enroll him in Kindergarten knowing that he might not be able to

handle the expectations academically or behaviorally. The term overplacement refers to a child being placed in an aca-

demic setting that is beyond or over the child’s developmental readiness, and in which the child’s individual needs are

not able to be met. i

Another option is to wait a year and allow Max to grow emotionally, socially, physically, and intellectually, and be

placed with children that are more his peers next September. The term red-shirting refers to a child being held back a

year solely in order to be at an advantage physically, socially, or academically. ii

Research has shown that there can be negative effects of either practice, making both ―not quite right‖ for many children

in most cases. On the other hand, parents find their ―just right‖ option when there is a match between the child’s devel-

opmental needs and the provided curriculum.

NOT QUITE RIGHT: ISSUES OF OVERPLACEMENT AND RED-SHIRTING

A child’s readiness for a particular school program is indicated by his or her physical, social, emotional, and academic

readiness, leading to his or her ability to cope and sustain in that environment without undue stress or awkwardness.

Some children may show signs of strain when placed in a school situation before they are fully ready to meet the de-

mands of that classroom and if there are not the proper supports and resources in place to meet the child where he or she

is developmentally. A child in this situation may exhibit the following behaviors. iii

OVERT (Easy to see)

Physical – The child exhibits fatigue, frequent colds, inconsistent visual and hearing perceptions.

Social – Has few friends, may lash out in anger against peers, relates better with younger children. Those not

showing anger may withdraw.

Intellectual – Has difficulty finishing work, erratic achievement (good one week, poor for two weeks). Low

or average work despite high I.Q.

Emotional – May be moody and easily upset, does not enjoy or want to go to school.

COVERT (More difficult to spot)

Avoidance – May avoid dealing with problems, daydreams.

Conformity – Wants to please others, does only what is asked, tries to make the teacher happy, exhibits very

little creative thinking.

Passive Resistance – Does not argue, may even be pleasant and agree with everything, but is resistant when

it comes to doing anything.

Overdrive – High social and academic skills; may not be very creative, is interested in obtaining good

grades. This child appears to ―have everything‖ but may be at great risk for eventual burnout.

While research has shown that delaying Kindergarten alone does not have a long-term affect on academic success for the

average child, iv there may be immediate short-term benefits including less stress associated with the learning environ-

ment, increased motivation to learn, and stronger self concept. One of the most important goals of Kindergarten is to

love learning and create an ―I can learn!‖ attitude in the child. When children are overplaced, they often feel like they are

failures and may complain of stomach aches so they don’t have to go to school.

On the other hand, waiting a year so that a child is the biggest football player or because waiting a year is the trendy

thing to do to ―get ahead‖ is not wise either. The decision whether or not to enter Kindergarten should be made with the

child’s best interest in mind. This is why it is imperative to understand the demands and expectations of the Kindergarten

program where a child will be enrolled, so that an informed decision can be made in regard to what is best for the child.

Page 14 IPA/USA QUARTERLY

Parents should talk to the teachers and administrators at prospective schools before making enrollment decisions.

JUST RIGHT: THE DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE CLASSROOM

The ―just right‖ Kindergarten classroom is one that meets the developmental needs of the child. In these developmentally

appropriate classrooms, teachers trust in children’s natural abilities and recognize their individual developmental needs.

They plan environments that balance active, child-initiated learning with teacher-directed instruction. They allow for

physical movement, freedom of expression, active communication and interaction, and individual and group problem

solving.

Activities are open ended so that the outcome for each child will be at his or her individual level of development. For

example, in a child’s daily journal, one child may be using complete sentences while another still primarily scribbles

pretend letters and uses pictures to convey thoughts. Neither is ―wrong‖ or out of place.

Such classroom structure fosters the child’s innate drive for purpose, competence, autonomy, and responsibility. Initia-

tive is nurtured when children are encouraged to take appropriate risks. The resulting choice and decision-making pro-

duce interest and motivation and lead to learning which is meaningful, relevant, and lifelong.

Optimal learning is dependent on children’s manipulation and experimentation with materials, and questioning and com-

munication with adults and peers. The developmental Kindergarten classroom is activity centered, drawing directly from

the child’s interests and abilities. Integrated theme learning allows children to live and think in the classroom as they do

naturally outside of the classroom.

The curriculum fully incorporates music, art, movement, and drama. Learning through instructional themes encourages

spontaneous and instructive play in the classroom and draws on the developmental progression in content areas such as

reading, math, writing, science, and social studies. Perhaps most importantly, the developmentally appropriate classroom

meets the needs of the individual child, providing activities and experiences that meet the child where he or she is on the

developmental spectrum. v

Unfortunately, the demands of our current educational system, in large part thanks to the No Child Left Behind legisla-

tion or the ―Testing Legislation‖ as others have called it, have left many schools and programs with a great dilemma –

with cuts in funding, resources are low, and with huge demands on accountability and test scores, more and more Kin-

dergarten programs are being forced to take on a more academic focus.

With this, truly developmentally appropriate practice is left at the curb. When parents find this is the case in their child’s

school, they should talk to the teachers and administrators about this problem, and work together to find the best solution

for their child.

Parents shouldn’t make decisions for children based on personal greed, vicariously living their child’s life, or on adult

peer pressure. Desiring the brightest child in the class, longing for the best athlete in the class, or pushing a child solely

to ―keep up with the Jones‖ does no child any good. When considering what’s best for a child, parents should remember

three guiding principles to help ensure his or her success:

1. Know the child, not just what the child knows – recognize and understand natural developmental behaviors in a vari-

ety of situations.

2. Know the program – beyond the specific academic demands, know what behaviors will be expected of the children

in the program as well as what the program offers in terms of play time, social-emotional development, parent in-

volvement, and more.

3. Know that every child is in a constant process of growth and development – respect and cherish each stage of a

child’s development, and be informed about developmentally appropriate expectations for the individual child.

Conclusion: Goldilocks Goes to Kindergarten

―Goldilocks tried the first Kindergarten and it was too HARD. She tried the second classroom and it was too EASY.

Then she tried the third classroom and it was just RIGHT.‖

Children should not have to bounce around from program to program to find the right fit. There already exists a growing

IPA/USA QUARTERLY Page 15

epidemic of preschool expulsion, in large part due to a disconnect between developmental behavior, expectations, and

proper supports in the classroom. Parents and teachers can and should be working together to understand the individual

child, and to provide the best possible – ―just right‖ – Kindergarten experience for every child.

i Ilg, F.L. (1972). Overplacement: The problem that doesn’t have to be. Teacher, 90(1), 16-25. ii Marshall, H.H. (2003). Opportunity deferred or opportunity taken? An updated look at delaying kindergarten entry. Beyond the

Journal: Young Children on the Web. September 2003. iii Ilg, F.L. (1972). Overplacement: The problem that doesn’t have to be. Teacher, 90(1), 16-25. iv Marshall, H.H. (2003). Opportunity deferred or opportunity taken? An updated look at delaying kindergarten entry. Beyond the

Journal: Young Children on the Web. September 2003. v Bredekamp, V.S. & Copple, C. (1997). "Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs". Washington, DC:

NAEYC.

Membership Categories

I am/We are in agreement with the aims and objectives of

IPA and wish to apply for membership in the following cate-

gory. Circle applicable membership category.

INDIVIDUAL

Individual $50.00

Fulltime Student/Retiree $25.00

Friend of IPA/USA (includes 1 individ-

ual membership plus IPA/USA general

donation)

$150.00

(or more)

$_______

GROUPS

Student Groups, Local Groups, Agen-

cies & Organizations $75.00

National Voluntary Groups $75.00

Government Departments at all levels $80.00

Corporate, Business $100.00

BENEFACTORS

All benefactors (non-voting member) $150.00

RECIPROCAL

National/International Organization NO FEE

IPA/USA encourages members to make a donation for

specific activities:

Elementary School Recess Projects $_______

Newsletter $_______

Membership Development $_______

Co-sponsoring Meeting in the USA $_______

Total Amount Enclosed $_______

Membership Application

Please print information.

Name

Occupation

If group member, name of person to receive correspondence

( )

Work Telephone Number

( )

Home Telephone Number

Email Address

Mailing Address

City State Zip

Area(s) of Interest

Your check for the appropriate fee

should be made out to IPA/USA

and mailed with the application

form to the membership/treasurer:

Dr. Marcy Guddemi

c/o Gesell Institute

310 Prospect Street

New Haven, CT 06511