This issue presents research related to children's rights and inclusivity. For so many children, basic rights of playful assembly and even freedom of expression have been compromised by COVID-19 contributing to a lack of social interaction and a lack of privacy at play. But exclusivity has been present even before COVID both in the playground and in the research process. Leading the way in this issue is a State of Play report from the Play in Education Development and Learning (PEDAL) Center at Cambridge University. The latest PEDAL projects are shared, emphasizing their commitment to the inclusion of children's viewpoints in research as a founding principle. Read of their innovative use of puppetry and video in order to understand the thoughts of children nonverbally and how collaborative research has elevated the teachers’ own sense of value.
Aeshah Alsarawi's takes on playground access in ‘Inclusive playgrounds: Concerted efforts for children with disabilities in Saudi Arabia.’ Jaume Bantulà Janot and Andrés Payà Rico of Spain write of how ‘The European Union member states ignore the right of the child to play: A qualitative analysis.’ Lauran Doak asks about inclusivity in a focused study of playgrounds in the United Kingdom, ‘The “right to play” in Article 31 UNCRC: What does it mean in special education playgrounds?’ Rebecca Finney and Cathy Atkinson, take accessibility to another level, ‘Children's views about factors affecting access to home, school and community play.’
Inclusivity and rights emerge not only as the subject of research, not only in the methods themselves, but also in the manner of the sharing of research. Kevin Raymond Rathunde and Russell Isabella share their work from the United States, ‘Incorporating the Creative Arts in An Educational Presentation About Play: A Novel Strategy for Enhancing Communication and Engagement with Parents.’ Be sure to see the videos associated with their article. Well worth seeing, they demonstrate how the arts can serve as a gateway to understanding, akin to the innovative work of anthropologists in experimental ethnography. Does the playful work we study itself have a right to be presented playfully?
As we are focusing on inclusion, the editors wanted to pause and invite each of you to offer some feedback about your use of the IJP and the kinds of articles you wish to see. Click this link to offer comments, or if you are reading this in print, feel free to email [email protected]. In our recent monthly SKYPE meeting, the editors realized that one of us uses the IJP articles to teach grad students. One of us shares these articles to train undergraduates and stretch their minds, and the third editor scours the articles for scholarly leads and new research methods. How do you use the articles? What topics do you look for most? What kinds of articles do you wish we would cover more? Do let us know.
Our regular column ‘Memories of Play’ and book reviews edited by Sylwyn Guilbaud will return next issue when we are allotted more pages. We close this issue with Elizabeth Tucker's column, ‘Books Worth Rereading’ for a look at the folklore and play associated with … the plague.
Stay well and keep playing.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes on contributor
Anna Beresin is professor of psychology and folklore in the School of Critical Studies at the University of the Arts and a co-editor of this fine journal.