Play Well: Why Play Matters


Amusing but informative exhibition at the Wellcome Collection looking at how we play and what it is important.

The show looked at the role of play in learning and discusses whether is for everyone and not just children. The nature/nurture section looked at how we use play to learn and how educators have harnessed this. There was a big display on the Kindergarten movement started by Friedrich Fröbel in 1839. He devised 20 ‘gifts’ objects to develop stages of development and most of them were illustrated here. It also looked at the role of play in post-War Britain to help children overcome traumas and Constant Nieuwehuy’s theory that mechanised labour would free is from work and adults could lead a nomadic life of play. Bring it on!

A section on toys examined how society changes are reflected in children’s toys and o how they can be used to influence society. There was a sweet section on playground chants and how they adapt over time which were recorded by Iona and Peter Opie over 30 years. There was also a display of Barbie dolls discussing how these have reflected changes over the years and how campaigners are working for increased diversity in design.  I loved the section on Lego. I can’t remember what point it was making but it was fun!

Finally the show looked at how play teaches children about societies rules but also the importance of risk in challenging children. It focused on the adventure playground movement and looked at how they were now being threatened by council cuts and increased regulation. It also looked at the threats and benefits of digital play pointing out gaming addiction was classed as a disease by the World Health Organisation in 2018.

Closes 8 March 2020

Review 
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