Design, conduct and report on interviews with parents

This report will discuss parents’ perspectives on their children’s play. The report’s purpose is to analyse and connect parents’ views of play to both contemporary and classical play theories. Also to be discussed is the role of play and the value it has within an early childhood setting. The aim of this report is to form techniques which encourage parents to think of play as being an important learning tool for their children.
Approval was obtained from two parents in order to conduct an interview to obtain information about their perspectives on play and their experiences as a child through discussion and the use of a recording device. Both parents were willing participants and fully signed consent was obtained.
Parents were asked to elaborate on their memories of play as children and how they now view play as adults. Whilst only a small scale report can only be prepared based on the interview of the two parents, contradictions of each parent’s perspective shall be discussed along with how their perspectives relate to play theories. In addition, this report will connect the parents’ opinions to both contemporary and classical theories of play.
Contemporary theories are those which have been developed after 1920 (Dockett & Fleer, 2003). Play theories which have been developed by Berlyne, Piaget, Bateson and Vygotsky are to be analysed with reference to the views expressed by the parents and how these connect to play. Therefore, an understanding of both contemporary and classical theories is important in order to gain a better understanding of the role of play and its importance in learning. Also to be discussed are classical theories of play with reference to the parents’ views on play.
Finally, this report will try and focus on play from the parents’ perspectives. As each parent communicates their child’s experiences of play, direct exerts from the interviewee responses shall be used in this report. Parent Overview Table

Parent M
Parent F
Date, location & duration of Interview
20th September, 2013. Casual setting in interviewee’s lounge room.
50 minute duration.
21st September, 2013. Casual setting in the interviewee’s outdoor entertaining area.
45 minute duration.

Participant’s Age & Sex
30 year old Male
34 year old Female
Participant’s Family upbringing
Stable family with one younger brother
Stable family with one younger sister
Children

Microsystem -

Exosystem -

Macrosystem -

Two children
Ages – 5 & 2.5 years.

Both children in Childcare.
Parents living at home.

Childcare friends.
Moderate extended family.
Family friends.

Upper middle class.
Both parents academics.
No Religious beliefs.
Goal orientated.
Two children
Ages – 4 & 2 years.

Both children in Childcare.
Both parents living at home

Childcare friends.
Large extended family.
Several aunts and uncles.
School Teacher.

Middle to upper middle class.
Working parents
No Religious beliefs.
Strong family values.
Parents’ perspectives on play.
Social & solitary.
Active.
Considered important for development.
Can be both structured and unstructured with minimal parent involvement.
Social.
Active.
Important for development.
Can be both structured and unstructured with parent participation.

Views on how parents can encourage play

Minimal parental involvement.
Provide play ideas.
Make time and space available.
Ensure it Is worthwhile.
Provide play equipment.

Parental involvement.
All children engage in some form of play and most notably it plays an important role in the support of physical, emotional, social and cognitive development of the child (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2007). That said, all individuals have different perspectives of what constitutes play and these perspectives