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ILM - Institute of Leadership & Management

Training 4 Childcare, Bev Amison Consultancy Limited, Childcare training courses

Play type: What is Recapitulative Play?

The new CACHE, QCF (Qualifications Credit Framework) qualifications in Playwork recognise the 16^th play type as devised in ‘A playworker’s Taxonomy of Play Types’ by Bob Hughes.

Recapitulative Play is explained as play through which children explore their ancestry and history which could include rituals, stories, rhymes, fire and darkness. This play enables children to access play of earlier human evolutionary stages than their own.

‘Recapitulative play has the purpose of enabling children to access the behaviour of earlier human evolution so that they can play themselves up to contemporary evolutionary speed.’

A Playworkers Taxonomy of play types (2^nd Edition) Bob Hughes, Page 27

How can our setting encourage children to engage in Recapitulative play?

Firstly, we need to consider what examples of this play type are:

Lighting and using fires
Dressing up in historic clothing and uniforms
Growing and cooking things
‘keeping’ other species

A Playworkers Taxonomy of play types (2^nd Edition) Bob Hughes, Pg 27/28

Examples need to be reviewed against the provision and risk assessed to ensure appropriate in all aspects for the children to be involved.

What you may observe?

· Children creating ancient style communities

· Building shelters

· Making weapons

· Creating own language and religions

A Playworkers Taxonomy of play types (2^nd Edition) Bob Hughes, Pg 28

Recapitulative play resources could include:

Wood
Matches
Paper
Face/body paint
Water
Material for clothing
Sticks
Historic costumes
Camping cooking utensils
Soil
Seeds
Gardening tools or make their own
Stones
Twine
Rope
Bamboo canes

Also consider whether children have permission to develop play within your outdoor space to include (where possible) trees, grass, streams, rivers, slopes, mounds, caves etc

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