Play, Learning, and Children's Development

Everyday Life in Families and Transition to School

Mariane Hedegaard, Marilyn Fleer

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN: 9781107028647
• eBook ISBN: 9781107352803
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Developmental Psychology
• Index: Psychology

This book explores the dynamics in children's everyday lives as they move between school and the family, with particular consideration of how children's motives change in response to new challenges. Professors Mariane Hedegaard and Marilyn Fleer follow four children, two from Australia and two from Denmark, over a twelve-month period. Using these case studies, they show how children's everyday activities, play, and the demands of both family and educational contexts influence their learning and development. The authors contribute to a sociocultural theory formulation that includes the child's perspective in cultural historical contexts. Their approach yields insights that transcend specific nationalities, cultures, and socioeconomic situations. The analysis shows not just how children's family life shapes their experiences in school, but how schools influence and shape their lives at home.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Section 1 A Wholeness Approach to the Study of Children’s Everyday Life
• Section 2 Family Activity Settings
• Section 3 Children Meet New Demands in School Practice
• Section 4 Theorizing Children’s Activities in Families and in School
• References
• Index