AnjiPlay

Our mission: that every child enjoy the right to True Play: love, risk, joy, engagement, reflection anjiplay.com/rights/

Love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot live without & know we cannot live within. I use the word "love" here not merely in the personal sense but as a state of being, or a state of grace … in the tough and universal sense of quest and daring and growth. ~James Baldwin

Play is a need & a right of every child. To atone for stripping children of this right in their past designs of pedagogy, curricula, & learning environments, too many adults are now forcing activities on children in the guise of “play.” Play for adult outcomes is not true play.

When given time and space and large open-ended materials (I.e. love, trust, freedom, and needs-responsiveness) you begin to the see the tip of the iceberg that is the child’s unknown abilities. #TruePlay

Other forms of learning aren’t secondary to play, but are encompassed by true play & the structures that support it. Children deeply engaged in responsive environments of love & freedom will show you the most necessary, relevant, & valuable forms of learning. #TruePlay #AnjiPlay

Children have not forgotten how to play. Instead too many of us have forgotten what true play is and how to support it. #TruePlay #AnjiPlay

“@denisha_jones pointed to Anji Play as a way to provide equitable experiences. In this method, children use minimally structured, open-ended materials of all sizes to build on their natural curiosities & develop skills such as self agency, collaboration & taking risks.”

Question research that centers on highly subjective/narrow later learning outcomes for young children. The best educational environments and experiences provide safety, love, joy, space & time for reflection, & the experience of being heard, seen, accepted & valued. #TruePlay

In guided play, the adult’s notion of what has value in play takes center stage. If, instead, you step back during play & observe, the child’s abilities, interests, & discoveries will guide you. Social science “research” can’t justify stripping children of a basic right to joy.

“Play, Reflection, and the Quest for Uncertainty.” Fascinating work from @iamconscious2 and colleagues at @interact_minds pure.au.dk/portal/files/2311… #AnjiPlay #TruePlay

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“Connecting play to the mission of the public library is just one of the many ways public libraries are moving beyond the bricks and mortar repository of books and into an active laboratory of learning … True Play is one of the most compelling forms of play in public libraries.”

Reflection: thinking and sharing about what you and others have done. #TruePlay

Engagement: flow and connection that comes from uninterrupted exploration and discovery. #TruePlay

Joy: what it feels like to be in a love-filled environment, taking risks, making discoveries, and sharing. #TruePlay

Risk: taking chances, making predictions, and discovering things about yourself, others, and the world. #trueplay

Love: an environment of safety, trust and respect where the child’s needs are met and they can explore the world freely in their play. #trueplay

True Play is the child’s deep & uninterrupted engagement in the activity of their choice. This definition comes from educator Cheng Xueqin, who describes five principles that are central to True Play & children’s learning: love, risk, joy, engagement, & reflection. #trueplay