"Ideally it should be both. The choice of play materials should lead to learning. The idea that 'play' is the same as 'running riot' is false, but may be what led to a change of name."

No, I don't believe that, Mo.

'The Serious Ones' took over the Playgroups, marched in their with their briefcases and set up their photo of The Minister of Children in their mind's eye.


"It's the pressure of inspection, and box ticking that sends things awry."

Absolutely.....and it never used to be that way.


"I found when I was a Playgroup supervisor that I could teach or I could record. Not both. So the children were learning, but I couldn't say just what they'd learned in any session."

Why do we *need* to 'record'?
Children learn all the time through playing. Why can't they just be left to do that, quietly?

We've mucked up, bigtime.