PARS Playwork Theories

Facilitated by Rarni Rothwell

The PARS Model of Playwork was developed by Dr Shelly Newstead to enable practitioners to articulate, develop and evaluate their playwork practice. It is grounded in the history of the original adventure playground pioneers in the UK and draws from seven key playwork theories:

• Affordances

• Neophilia

• Loose Parts

• Combinatorial Flexibility

• Play Value

• Play Cycle

• Play Types

This session will help unpack these theories, and consider how they contribute to a better understanding of children’s play and leisure; allowing educators to better navigate the Emic-Etic spectrum.