Open AccessA Curiosity About Links Between Adventure Playgrounds, Loose Parts, Playwork Approach, a State of "Flow" and Children’s Wellbeing
Author(s) -
Angus Ian Gorrie
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international journal of playwork practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2689-9124
DOI - 10.25035/ijpp.02.01.01
Subject(s) - adventure , locus of control , curiosity , gray (unit) , anxiety , psychology , sense of control , developmental psychology , psychoanalysis , social psychology , art , psychiatry , art history , medicine , radiology
Over the past century there has been a documented rise in childhood anxiety and depression (Gray, 2011; Twenge, 2001). This increase largely correlates to the significant decrease in the amount of time children have to play freely (Gray, 2013). The suggested reason for this is a decrease in free time and play creating a strong external locus of control, the result of which has been shown to cause increases in childhood anxiety and depression (April, Dharani, & Peter, 2012; Gray, 2013). This paper records a practitioner’s musings on the links between aspects of playwork practice and children’s wellbeing. It considers Csikszentmihalyi (2008) concept of a state of flow and the development of an internal locus of control and the opportunities afforded children in an adventure playground wedded to playwork theory and practice.