{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Play, play and more play","description":"\u201cPlay is really the work of children, play is how they understand the world and how they become adults. The importance of play cannot be overstated\u201d remarked Larry Welshon in last week\u2019s episode about Democratic Education.     In Lockdown our children have had more time to get bored and figure out how to spend their time than ever before, and hopefully they\u2019ve spent a large part of it playing.  This week we dive deeper into the topic of play with Henry Readhead, Deputy Head at Summerhill School, the oldest children\u2019s democracy in the world.  Children at Summerhill are free to play as much as they like; a right which has always been central to the philosophy of the school.  We asked Henry why play is so important and about the role it has in children\u2019s emotional and social development and why he believes it is so important not to place limits on play.   Guests:  Henry Readhead, Deputy Head at Summerhill School and Kezia Cantwell-Wright, staff and founder at East Kent Sudbury School.  Find out more about Summerhill School and its rich history as the school approaches its centenary year next year with their celebratory website.   Find out more: Many books have been written about Summerhill School and by its founder A.S. Neill over the years here are a selection currently available:   Summerhill School by A.S. Neill - Neill\u2019s original book updated and revised. A.S. Neill\u2019s Summerhill - A new celebratory book with pictures of the school past and present. We also highly recommend Free to Learn by Peter Gray for learning more about the power of play in children\u2019s learning. Get in touch with the show lockdownlearning@gmail.com ","author_name":"Lockdown Learning","author_url":"https:\/\/eastkentsudburyschool.org.uk\/lockdown-learning-podcast\/","html":"