Magic Capes, Amazing Powers

Transforming Superhero Play in the Classroom

Eric Hoffman

• Publisher: Redleaf Press
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9781605546551
• eBook ISBN: 9781605546568
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Behavioural Management

For as long as there have been heroes and villains in our books, on our TVs, and in our everyday lives, children have been imitating them in their play. Superhero play remains a wonderful, developmentally appropriate way for children to explore power, experience adventure, and investigate big questions about the world. Yet, many adults are troubled by the effects media storylines, stereotypes, and violence have on children's superhero play.

Magic Capes, Amazing Powers takes an in-depth look at why children are so strongly attracted to superhero and weapons play. It also examines the concerns felt by families and teachers and suggests practical solutions that take into account the needs of both children and their caregivers. It explores how the use of redirection, storytelling, dramatic play materials, anti-bias curriculum, and clear limit setting can guide superhero play in a positive direction, one that addresses caregiver concerns and allows children to do what they do best—play!

CHAPTER 1

Understanding Superhero Play

“I like to be Superman because he’s a big guy, and big guys have the power. They can do lots of things, and they never die.”

—Eddie, age three

WHY ARE CHILDREN like Eddie so fascinated with superhero play? Why do some children insist on sleeping in their superhero costumes, with pretend weapons by their sides? Why are they willing to defy restrictions on their play by biting crackers into gun shapes when we’re not looking? For answers, we’ll look at several questions that will help us understand superhero play:

How is superhero play different from other forms of dramatic play? How is it the same?

How does gender influence superhero play?

Why do children get involved in superhero play?

What Is Superhero Play?

Anyone who has spent time with preschoolers has witnessed scenes like the ones in the following list. Which would you call superhero play?

Monsters baring their claws and teeth as they lurch across the lawn

Two Batmans, a Pokemon, one Superwoman, and various robots—all wearing capes and shooting rolled-up paper guns

Space aliens digging on the moon for treasure

Two forest fairies and a witch preparing magic spells and poison potions to make their friends disappear

Army action figures on a search-and-destroy mission

Knights in armor swinging swords at fire-breathing dragons

Martial arts experts twirling and kicking on top of the climbing structure

Princes and princesses issuing orders to everyone around them

“Good guys” and “bad guys” fighting each other with every kind of high-tech and low-tech weapon imaginable

For the purposes of this book, all of these are considered superhero play. They all involve play that centers on children’s fantasies of danger, bravery, good and evil, and above all, power. In superhero play, children don’t just mimic adult activities, they become larger-than-life characters that help them explore their fears, hopes, and passions. They use imaginative stories and props that symbolize these feelings.

Superhero play is one type of dramatic play (some teachers refer to dramatic play as make-believe play). Other kinds include family and home play (for example, cooking or baby care), occupational play (for example, post office or grocery store), and nature play (for example, butterflies or kittens). Most children participate in some form of dramatic play in their preschool years, but not all preschoolers get involved in superhero play. While signs of dramatic play can be seen even among one-year-olds, sustained play based on fantasy characters and stories usually appears when children are in preschool. It’s a sign that their brains have developed enough to think about the past and the future, and to picture what it’s like to be someone or somewhere else. These abilities are beyond the grasp of infants. As their mental abilities grow, dramatic play becomes a way children can let their imaginations flourish and share exciting new ideas with friends.

How Is Superhero Play Different from Other Forms of Dramatic Play?

In all varieties of dramatic play, children take on new identities, becoming a crying baby, a busy parent, a pony galloping with its herd, or an airplane pilot. These roles may be inspired by children’s observations, stories in books, TV shows, or movies, or they may be completely made-up. Characters can even be based on inanimate objects, since what is alive and not alive is one of the questions children are exploring at this age.

“Look at me, I’m a blender”—Megan, age four, while twirling and spinning a scarf above her head.

The roles children take during dramatic play may be realistic, such as babies, truck drivers, and teachers, or they may be imaginary. Most of the roles in superhero play come from fantasy images, like dragons, monsters, and fairies, or from heroic or mythic characters, like firefighters, kings, and queens. This role playing provides a way for children to “think out loud” and gain a deeper understanding of what they have observed or imagined. They get to practice adult skills, explore feelings, try out new ways to connect with friends, discover how their bodies move, and try to make sense of the large, and sometimes baffling, world around them.

One of the hallmarks of all forms of dramatic play is the use of costumes and props. Materials can range from a few pebbles to elaborately arranged furniture and scenery. Children don’t need mountains of toys and costumes for dramatic play to succeed. In fact, make-believe works best when children are required to use their creativity and communication skills to keep the game alive. A few sticks, a blanket, a box, and a time and place to use them are all that some children need to stay engaged in dramatic play for hours. While most dramatic play props allow children to practice real-life skills like feeding a dog, talking on a phone, or fixing a car, superhero props support exploration of other, more complex aspects of growing up: adult power, independence, and control. Superheroes use capes, power bracelets, wings, masks, magic wands, costumes that exaggerate human or animal features, and the ultimate power symbols—guns and other weapons.

Dramatic play becomes more complex and organized as children get older. Two-year-olds’ dramatic play is usually based on imitation, and is done alone or in loosely organized small groups, with few rules:

Four toddlers cook with sand together. Two are making birthday cakes and blowing out candles, one is cooking soup, while the other is making tortillas to feed the teacher.

Four-year-olds like to play in larger groups, with more inventive materials, roles, and rules. Some still do their dramatic play alone, while others create imaginary friends. Discussing what the game looks like can take as much time as playing the game itself, and...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction: Summer 1957
• Chapter 1: Understanding Superhero Play
• Chapter 2: Understanding Adult Views on Superhero Play
• Chapter 3: Setting the Stage for Play
• Chapter 4: Supporting Superhero Play
• Chapter 5: Creating Stories for Superhero Play
• Chapter 6: Fostering Heroism
• Chapter 7: Working with Families and Staff
• Index