Fun and play are essential to the meeting of basic human life needs.
Aimed at professionals who are familiar with the Phoenix Cups Framework, our workshop Taking the Fun Cup Seriously explores the importance of fun in educational programming and pedagogical decisions. We explore the types and forms of play, strategies to ensure that children’s (and adults) Fun Cups are filled or filling, and brainstorm strategies for our own practice. This workshop explores concepts such as the stages of play and types of play, as well as concepts such as engagement, flow and humour. The role of educators and adults within play is explored and participants will walk away with a suite of ideas, inspiration and real-world strategies to embed fun into your educational programs.
This workshop will cover the following topics:
What is the Fun Cup and Why is it so Important?
We will explore the theoretical underpinning behind the concept of the Fun Cup and together will relate this to our practice as professionals. External thinking, research and scientific discoveries are considered and together we will identify why is the Fun Cup so very important?
Strategies to Meet Our Need for Fun
Taking into account the diverse needs of children and adults with which we teach, work with and play with, we will consider strategies, needs and ideas to engage in Fun Filling activities and practices in our everyday moments.
Schematic Play
Together we will ask what is schematic play and how do I do it? We will explore the educational theory behind schematic play, identify various types and forms of schemas with some handy tips to identify and spot schemas in action.
Six Types/Stages of Play
Did you know that play is not always sequential? Together we will explore the different types of play, how to support it, identify it and normalise it.
Engagement and Flow
Explore the theory behind ‘flow’. What is shared and sustained engagement look like within education settings and how exactly can we foster this. In this section we will explore what flow and engagement look like, and provide real strategies to support this in your professional practice.
Participant outcomes:
This workshop will excite you to embrace the importance of Fun in your everyday practice. You will:
- Develop an understanding of the Fun Cup and fun as a basic human life need.
- Build confidence in identifying and supporting the different types and forms of play in children.
- Gain knowledge on theoretical underpinnings relating to play, engagement and fun for children.
- Be excited to rejuvenate and refresh your practice through embracing the spontaneous and purposeful moments of shared joy and humour.
- Be inspired and empowered with the knowledge of how to embed fun-filling strategies into your pedagogical practice.
Activities include:
- Exploring current practice and needs.
- Workshopping future ideas and implementation.
- Brainstorming identifiers of the forms and types of play.
- Reflecting on play, life experiences and our own beliefs and values.
- Tools for implementing fun-filling strategies.