Wherever the children live, it is essential that they have access to play areas where they can have opportunities to play freely and to make their own choices. They need to be included when planning play areas in order to be given ownership of their play.
Children will play wherever they are given opportunities to do so and adults should ensure that suitable places are available for them. Play areas need to be regularly updated, and consideration should be given to the children who play there. By considering the cohort of children and their interests, purposeful play areas can be planned with no specific function. This will enable the children to create their own play so that they do not get bored with the play area. By adopting the ten principles created by Play England 2008, you will ensure that the needs of every child are met within a rich play environment.
Ideas for meeting the ten principles for creating successful play places:
- Resources that are suited to the area should be used.
- They should be convenient for the children.
- Natural resources that change according to the seasons should be used to their full potential.
- Opportunities should be provided for a variety of play experiences.
- Inclusion should be considered, ensuring that everybody, regardless of their needs, can take part.
- The community should be considered during the planning process.
- Children of all ages need opportunities to take full advantage of the play area.
- Challenging opportunities should be provided where children can manage risk.
- Consideration should be given to the cost of keeping the area clean and safe.
- The play place should be flexible and suitable to the age and development stage of the children.
If children and young people are able to make choices and decisions as part of the process of creating play places, they will be able to create and extend their own play. This will also give them a sense of ownership. They should be included when considering where to plant trees and flowers and which areas need to be dug, painted, built and cleared of rubbish. They will then be able to see the play place developing and may offer their own ideas as part of the process.
Further reading:
http://www.playwales.org.uk/eng/playspaces
https://bit.ly/32xsxme
Play can be motivating, challenging, relaxing or quiet and careful planning and a variety of resources are required to enable this, such as:
- choosing to play on their own or with others
- an opportunity to discuss, work together, debate and solve problems
- experience the weather, trees, plants, insects, animals, mud
- read books in quiet places
- play with natural and synthetic materials
- cope with challenge and uncertainty on a physical and emotional level
- role play and dressing up
- running, jumping, climbing, balancing, rolling
- energetic play, fighting
- places to picnic
- deal with risk when playing and using climbing equipment
- meeting the five senses - creating a treasure basket from natural materials
- express feelings and emotions such as joy, fear, frustration, boredom, interest, happiness, grief, sadness, pride, disappointment, confidence
- use cardboard boxes, large pieces of material to create hiding places
- benches for opportunities to chat
- drawing the environment
- lying on the grass.
Ble bynnag mae plant yn byw mae’n hanfodol eu bod yn cael mynediad i fannau chwarae ble gellir cael cyfle i chwarae’n rhydd a gwneud dewisiadau dros eu hunain. Mae angen iddynt gymryd rhan flaenllaw wrth i fannau chwarae gael eu cynllunio er mwyn iddynt gael perchnogaeth dros eu chwarae.
Gwelir fod plant yn chwarae ble bynnag cânt gyfle ac mae gan oedolion rôl i ddarparu mannau addas ar eu cyfer. Mae angen i fannau chwarae gael eu hadnewyddu’n gyson gan gymryd i ystyriaeth y plant sydd yn chwarae yno. Trwy ystyried y garfan o blant a’u diddordebau gellir cynllunio fel bod yna fannau chwarae pwrpasol ond heb swyddogaeth arbennig. Bydd hyn yn galluogi plant i ddyfeisio eu chwarae fel nad ydynt yn diflasu gyda’r man chwarae. Wrth fabwysiadau’r deg egwyddor a grëwyd gan Play England 2008 byddwch yn sicrhau bod anghenion pob plentyn yn cael eu cwrdd, â hynny mewn amgylchedd chwarae cyfoethog.
Syniadau ar gyfer cwrdd â’r deg egwyddor ar gyfer dylunio mannau chwarae llwyddiannus:
- Mae angen defnyddio adnoddau sy’n gweddu gyda’r ardal
- Mae angen iddo fod yn gyfleus i’r plant
- Mae angen gwneud y mwyaf o adnoddau naturiol sy’n newid yn ôl y tymhorau
- Mae angen cyfleoedd i dderbyn amrywiaeth o brofiadau chwarae
- Mae angen ystyried cynhwysiant gan sicrhau bod pawb, beth bynnag eu hanghenion yn medru cymryd rhan
- Mae angen ystyried y gymuned wrth gynllunio
- Mae angen cyfleoedd ar blant o bob oedran i wneud y mwyaf o’r man chwarae
- Mae angen cyfleoedd heriol ble gall blant rheoli risg
- Mae angen ystyried y gost i’w gynnal a’i gadw yn lan a diogel
- Mae angen man hyblyg a fydd yn diwallu oed a cham datblygiad plant.
Os bydd plant a phobl ifanc yn cael gwneud dewisiadau a phenderfyniadau wrth greu mannau chwarae yna mae cyfle iddynt ddyfeisio ac ymestyn eu chwarae eu hunain. Bydd hyn hefyd yn rhoi ymdeimlad o berchenogaeth iddyn nhw. Dylid eu cynnwys wrth ystyried lle i blannu coed a blodau a lle mae angen palu, paentio, adeiladu a chlirio sbwriel. Trwy hyn byddant yn gweld y man chwarae yn datblygu ac efallai yn cynnig syniadau eu hunain yn ystod y broses.
Darllen pellach:
http://www.chwaraecymru.org.uk/cym/mannauchwarae
https://bit.ly/32xsxme
Gall chwarae fod yn ysgogol yn heriol yn ymlaciol neu’n dawel ac mae angen cynllunio’n ofalus a chynnig amrywiaeth o adnoddau sy’n caniatáu hyn megis:
- dewis i chwarae ar eu pen eu hunain neu gydag eraill
- cyfle i drafod, i gydweithio, i ddadlau, a datrys problemau
- cael profiad o’r tywydd, coed, planhigion, pryfed, anifeiliaid, mwd
- darllen llyfrau mewn mannau tawel
- chwarae â deunyddiau naturiol a synthetig
- ymdopi â her ac ansicrwydd ar lefel corfforol ac emosiynol
- chwarae rôl a gwisgo i fyny
- rhedeg, neidio, dringo, cydbwyso, rholio
- chwarae egnïol, ymladd
- lle i gael picnic
- delio â risg wrth chwarae a defnyddio offer dringo
- cwrdd â’r pum synnwyr- creu basged trysor allan o ddeunydd naturiol
- mynegi teimladau ac emosiynau megis llawenydd, ofn, rhwystredigaeth, diflastod, diddordeb, hapusrwydd, galar, tristwch, balchder, siom, hyder
- defnyddio blychau cardfwrdd, darnau mawr o ddefnydd i greu cuddfannau
- meinciau i gael cyfnodau sgwrsio
- lluniadu’r amgylchedd
- gorwedd ar y glaswellt.
