Episode 8: Discovering the Culture of Childhood (Chapters 3&4) with Emily Plank

Today, I’m talking again with Emily Plank, author of Discovering The Culture of Childhood. It’s the read-along selection this year, for Not Just Cute readers. That means instead of one overview, I get to have several in-depth chats with Emily. It’s been an eye-opener for me, and I know I’m not the only one because I’ve been hearing a lot of great things from listeners as well! In this episode, we’ll be discussing chapters 3 and 4 of her book. We’re looking, largely, at how play serves as the language of childhood, and what kinds of problems arise when adults begin to forget their native tongue. We'll discuss tricky topics like pretend violent play, dealing with childhood fears, and how to support truly rich play environments. As always, Emily invites us to put on a new pair of spectacles and see childhood in a new way, and what she helps us discover there is truly fascinating.