Superhero play

Do you encourage children to engage with and continue their superhero play?

 

What are the concerns when children play this way? Usually that someone may become physically or emotionally hurt; how do we weigh this up against the benefits of superhero play to children’s development?

 

Usually an observation of children engaging in superhero play is that they are running around, being boisterous and not playing nicely. As practitioners and playworkers we often need to take a step back from children’s play and reflect on what is happening before jumping in to challenge play that may have some risks, by reflecting we can hopefully weigh up the benefits of the play too. 

 

The benefits of superhero play start with a lot of imagination which is often missing for some children as a natural play experience. Children gain many physical skills such as co-ordination, balance, gross motor skills and spatial awareness during this play. Social and emotional areas of development are usually engaged through superhero play including the building of many great friendships. Testing of abilities through the movement that this play demands is enjoyable and fun for children which is the key to most learning.  Some settings have moved forward and changed their practice from not allowing such play to embracing it with the application of rules for all taking part. 

 

 Why Superheroes?