Ideas for Play: Literacy by Emma Smoldon and Megan Howell.
Ideas for Play: Literacy is a fresh NZ book written for families at home, parent educators in playcentres, and early childhood teachers.
All elements from the text, graphics and design, and publication combine in making this a really unique book. The first thing you notice is how attractive to the eye it is.
Open the book and you see that the text is very readable. The book is full of good information and the content is suitable and useful for adults with little through to a lot of experience in teaching and knowledge of learning processes.
A range of ‘literacies’ are covered: audio and oral, gestural (e.g. faces), tactile, spatial, visual, and written.
A new topic is presented on each set of facing pages, with the context and further information on the first page and ideas for play on the second page (but a busy parent, perhaps, may appreciate a different order – ideas for play first and further information second).
Much thought and planning likely went into drafting the ideas for play under each topic – because these sections are written with great clarity and insight. Authors Megan Howell and Emma Smoldon show a depth of understanding about children, what appeals to them, and how to capture and maximise learning in enjoyable and meaningful ways.
Picking one section at random here is what is written for the topic of “Map” or “Whakamahere”:
Ideas for Playmake a start:
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| add complexity:
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| go all out:
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There is a magazine style look about the book. Each two page topic would look good reproduced in poster form for display at early childhood centres and places where parents of very young children meet.
Paper Back ISBN: 978-0-9941142-0-4
Publication date: 2014
Publisher: Ako Books
