A Cultural-Historical Analysis of Play as an Activity Setting in Early Childhood Education: Views From Research and From Teachers

Play is valued in many countries around the world (Wood, 2004). However, how the term ‘play’ is defined is variable (Ailwood, 2003). There is much debate around what constitutes play (Fleer, 1999; Göncü, Mistry, & Mosier, 2000). Many theoretical perspectives on play have become global forces within early childhood education. This chapter examines how early childhood professionals talked about their everyday, local practices with an eye toward understanding how they use (resist) the global theories of play.