A Vygotskian Approach to Play Development

The book is inspired with the Vygotskian perspective on play support and invites readers to learn about existing play practices based on cultural-historical approach from different countries and reflect on their own play support strategy. It will also provide a research-based guide for practitioners on how to use a cultural-historical approach to enhance their play practice and create conditions for play development.

Including practical cases and covering a range of contexts, authors explore key challenges of play support and highlights the a variety of topics including:

· Concept of play: cultural-historical perspective on play

· Treasures of play: the role of play with imaginary situation in a child’s development

· Play support - the role of an adult in supporting play

The authors also provide tools for pedagogical observation, will show how we can learn about crucial conditions for play development from cultural-historical perspectives, and how to create them in preschool settings. Readers can reflect on their role in play support and learn about playful adults as partners and mediators in collaborative play, using tools for reflexive analysis of their own play support strategy.

The book is an ideal choice for Early Years practitioners, researchers, policy makers and all who are interested in cultural-historical approach and play support.