ABSTRACT
Teachers-as-learners continually learn about the people with whom they work and play, and use their knowledge to inform their provision and practice, including everyday playful interactions as well as formal pedagogical routines. Learners-as-teachers continually test and refine their knowledge and skills, and may act as capable and knowledgeable others with peers and adults. This chapter outlines some of the eclectic theories that aim to explain what play is, and what purposes it serves. This is followed by observations and narratives of play to illustrate contrasting theoretical perspectives, focusing on the importance of co-construction and inter-subjectivity in play activities. The chapter then discusses the concepts of dark and cruel play, not least because these are all too often omitted from the more romantic and idealized accounts of play. The conclusion draws together some ideas about the future of play, and the fusion of play as therapeutic and pedagogical encounters.
