Staff Tool 5 Play environments

To understand what could be offered, it is important to consider the local environment in which children play. Given time, space and permission to play, children will naturally choose to play wherever and whenever they wish. What is available to children can be assessed against how children need to play.

Auditing the environment provides a process to identify how it is, or isn’t, meeting children’s play needs and to identify possible actions.

Safeguarding space for play: environments for play do not always look pretty or appealing to adults. While it is important to identify hazards in the environment and mitigate those where possible, it is also important for adults to do all they can to see the environment through the eyes of the child. Use this tool in conjunction with Staff Tool 4.

What does the play environment offer for play? (Affordance in the environment)

Is it varied and interesting? (e.g. flat smooth surfaces for playing games, slopes for rolling down etc.; are there features – not necessarily intended for play – such as trees, statues, landmarks)

Note examples or description here Suggested actions to supplement or enhance with resources, design or other intervention

Does it offer challenge? (e.g. features for jumping over, jumping down from, swinging on, hanging from, climbing on)

Does it offer opportunities to play with the natural elements? Earth, water, fire, air?

Does it offer opportunities to manipulate natural and fabricated materials? (e.g. loose parts for building, digging, throwing, moulding)

Suggested actions to supplement or enhance with resources, design or other intervention

Does it provide sensory stimulation? (e.g. sights, sounds and smells of streets, temples etc., planting in parks, seasonal changes in trees and landscape)

Does it support social interactions? (e.g. places for hiding, peace and quiet, secret places, private places, places for looking out from, places to find friends and playmates)

Does it offer opportunities to experience a range of emotions? (e.g. by offering gathering places and places for group play, places for quiet or solitary play)

Other (please specify)