Adult participation in the creation of narrative playworlds: challenges and contradictions

Abstract

Playing is an activity that affects significantly the psychological development and learning in preschool age. Opinions among researchers and practitioners are divided about adults’ role in children’s play. Despite being a children’s activity, high-level, complex social play hardly appears without adult mediation. According to the narrative play and learning approach, adults play a crucial role in developing narrative playworlds. Teachers must have special abilities to create narrative playworlds, including adult involvement and participation in the play with children. The teachers should preserve two perspectives simultaneously: they must be children’s play partners and play guiders. This study explores the process of creating narrative playworlds from the teachers’ perspective. The thematic analysis of a focus group interview revealed contradictions between teachers’ intentions and behaviours. The creation of narrative playworlds proceeds through a series of critical contradictions that the teachers must overcome. Successful resolution of the contradictions helps build a community of players in the classroom.