A Child's Work

The Importance of Fantasy Play

By: Vivian Gussin Paley

Narrated by: Beth Richmond

The buzz word in education today is accountability. But the federal mandate of "no child left behind" has come to mean curriculums driven by preparation for standardized tests and quantifiable learning results. Even for very young children, unstructured creative time in the classroom is waning as teachers and administrators are under growing pressures to measure school readiness through rote learning and increased homework.

In her new book, Vivian Gussin Paley decries this rapid disappearance of creative time and makes the case for the critical role of fantasy play in the psychological, intellectual, and social development of young children.

A Child's Work goes inside classrooms around the globe to explore the stunningly original language of children in their role-playing and storytelling. Drawing from their own words, Paley examines how this natural mode of learning allows children to construct meaning in their worlds, meaning that carries through into their adult lives. Proof that play is the work of children, this compelling and enchanting book will inspire and instruct teachers and parents, as well as point to a fundamental misdirection in today's educational programs and strategies.The book is published by The University of Chicago Press.

©2004 Vivian Gussin Paley (P)2010 Redwood Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"This irresistable book is Vivian Gussin Paley at her very best." ( Times Education Supplement)

"Here is a book brimming with brave wisdom that will help us parents and teachers understand how our sons and daughters, our students, come to terms with life through their minds' activity." (Robert Coles, author of The Moral Intelligence of Children)

"[A] richly detailed reminder of the enormously important role of imaginary play." ( San Francisco Chronicle Book Review)

love it.

I am a preschool teacher and this book was so insightful and interesting and easy to listen to. great book!

insightful

insightful piece of work. I found it quite humorous as well. It has great documentation of the children's exchanges and conversations.

Child’s work of play

I thoroughly enjoyed reading a child’s work on the importance of fantasy play. I am a Head Start teacher, furthering my education to earn my master's degree in early childhood education, focusing on pre-K through third grade. I love how the author details the differences of opinions on what play is appropriate for young students. It’s an eye-opener to see the different views on play from the 1960s through the early 2000s. I was a child who attended school in the 80s and 90s, and when I went to kindergarten, I recall playing, although not a lot, and there was a significant amount of schoolwork. There was a lot of wasted energy on papers versus imagination and fantasy play. It is essential to have this element for our students today, as they connect real-world experiences to their play in learning events, such as the 9/11 event illustrated in this book.