Cultural and historical influences on conceptions and uses of play

Abstract

A cultural-historical approach invites an examination of the cultural basis for the generation of knowledge and for the use and, I would stress, the possible non-use of this knowledge. There are various and sometimes competing assumptions about why and how it is important to be observant of children at play. The different views are seen both in the interpretation of the causes and implications of the fact that children play and in the selection of games to be studied. This chapter will attempt to explore and develop the view that the way play is understood is culturally determined. The aim is to help expand some prevalent conceptions of play by presenting some examples of research and what you might call the policies of play. As underlined by Vygotsky pretend play relates to reality. This observation is not only important in connection with the understanding of children’s play at a concrete level. It also applies to the theoretical level, and in the following I shall examine how, by including this level, it is possible to demonstrate the interrelatedness between cultural-historical contexts, thinking about children’s development and concepts about and attitudes towards play.