Listen to Dr. Elizabeth Wood talking about the importance of play for young children, as well as the benefits for practitioners in using play as a methodology in their settings. Dr Wood outlines how play links with early learning and development and identifies some common misconceptions about play. She finishes the discussion with some suggestions for helping parents to see the value of play for their young children.
Dr Elizabeth Wood is Professor of Education at the University of Exeter, England. Her research interests include the role of play in early learning; progression and continuity in play; teachers’ professional knowledge and practice; curriculum, pedagogy and assessment in early childhood. She was consultant to the National Union of Teachers on developing their play policy in 2007, and has worked with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) on developing policy guidance on play, learning and pedagogy. She has an international reputation for her research on play and pedagogy.
Her publications include: Broadhead, P., Howard, J. & Wood, E. (2010) Play and Learning in the Early Years: from research to practice. London, Sage Wood, E. (2008) The Routledge Reader in Early Childhood Education. London, Routledge Wood, E. & Attfield, J. (2005) Play, Learning and the Early Childhood Curriculum. London, Paul Chapman Press (3rd edition 2011)
Contact details:
Dr Elizabeth Wood, University of Exeter, Graduate School of Education, St Luke’s Campus, Exeter EX1 2LU.
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Early Childhood 
Dr Elizabeth Wood is Professor of Education at the University of Exeter, England. Her research interests include the role of play in early learning; progression and continuity in play; teachers’ professional knowledge and practice; curriculum, pedagogy and assessment in early childhood. She was consultant to the National Union of Teachers on developing their play policy in 2007, and has worked with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) on developing policy guidance on play, learning and pedagogy. She has an international reputation for her research on play and pedagogy.
