Play Away!

Ann Memmott on Twitter (if you don't follow her I suggest you do) posted earlier about a new research project re: Behaviourism, autism and play.

And frankly it's utterly terrifying.

You see, a behaviourist decided what was 'appropriate' play after giving a group of children a variety of playsets.

Appropriate play? I hear you cry/type.

What's that?

Well according to our academic pals that involves picking up an action figure and walking it along appropriate parts of the playset.

But never in the same way twice obviously. 

And if it came off the playset?

Well that's a fail.

Because that's not proper play.

Told you it was terrifying.

 

 

 

You see, as a child  I used to re-enact scenes from films (Star Wars mainly) and - if really having fun - write and storyboard sequels and act them out, composing shots with my toys etc.

 Obviously there were rules - Vader couldn't die (he'd usually just turn up at the end as the heroes escaped) and Yoda couldn't just pop up in stories set before Empire) but this never stopped it being bloody good fun.

 As I got older I bought a cine-camera and would use the same techniques and skills to make short films and you know what? bizarrely (or not) all those skills I learned by playing - and the way I played - have been really useful in the kind of work I do.

Who'd have thought it?

Pity then to find out I did play totally wrong, maybe all the folk I did arts/play training for will now want their cash back seeing as I'm obviously a play fraud?