Book Recommendations - The Play in Education Library!
Ben Kingston-Hughes (2022)
Play has the very real power to transform children’s lives. It has a unique and profound impact on the neurological, emotional and physical development and wellbeing of children - from therapeutic play and overcoming anxiety, to positive behaviour, mental health and even life expectancy. This book brings together two hot topics - play and neuroscience – breaking them down in an accessible way and offering a new perspective and voice on the topic of play.
Greg Bottrill (2020)
In this book, Greg shares an alternative to the ‘school’ of today. A way of creating the conditions for you to go on an adventure with children. Education should not be a predetermined journey with map already drawn, with no ability to leave the path or pause. It should be a co-adventure.
Kerry Murphy (2025)
Neurodiversity-Affirming Practices in Early Childhood challenges outdated assumptions and expands our understanding of child development and play, with inclusive practice at its heart. The book explores diverse development and learning through a variety of different lenses, including early years provision, specialist support, and speech and language therapy.
Sue Quirk and Victoria Pettett (2020)
This book offers a step-by-step guide to implementing a play-based curriculum in Year 1 while fully achieving the National Curriculum objectives.
The authors explore the key barriers and common pitfalls that often arise around this crucial transition, and show teachers how to successfully lead children from the Reception stage through Year 1 and to the subject-based teaching beyond.
Aimee Durning, Sara Baker and Paul Ramchandani (2024)
Empowering Play in Primary Education contributes innovative ideas about how teachers, teaching assistants and children may incorporate play within the classroom while also advocating for its use as a powerful tool for ensuring successful learning outcomes.
Packed with imaginative ideas and practical suggestions, this essential book combines theory with tried and tested practice to encourage and inspire teachers to make use of the pedagogy of play and enhance their children's learning experience.
Julie Fisher (2020)
Moving On to Key Stage 1 has been highly influential in developing innovative, developmentally appropriate KS1 practice in schools across the country. This new edition offers teachers further powerful and persuasive arguments for continuing play-based learning into Years 1 and 2.
Dr Alistair Bryce-Clegg (2025)
Effective Transition into Year One is essential reading for all Reception and Year One teachers, presenting a clear and practical map for effective transition to support children's emotional, social and academic development.
Using the latest research and up-to-date EYFS framework, bestselling author Dr Alistair Bryce-Clegg presents a clear map to support children as they move from the Early Years into Key Stage 1.
Claire Gadsby and Jan Evans (2019)
In 'Dynamically Different Classrooms: Create spaces that spark learning', Claire Gadsby and Jan Evans provide teachers with a visually striking masterclass on how to maximise the potential of every cubic inch of the learning environment.
Bursting with a rich variety of practical ideas, this inspiring guide to the great indoors talks you through the clue corners , ceiling circuits and windows of opportunity waiting to be discovered in your classroom and shares 148 high-impact techniques proven to boost pupils engagement, long-term learning and progress.
Ben Kingston-Hughes (2023)
This transformative book looks at one of the most undervalued aspects of childhood, joy. Using the latest neuroscience and biochemistry this book shows that joy, far from being an abstract concept, is one of the key motivators for every aspect of learning and development throughout childhood and something we ignore at our peril. The book gives concrete strategies for increasing the levels of joy in our children and highlights the catastrophic damage that a decline in joy can cause in our children especially in a post pandemic world.
Have a book to add to our list?
Send us an email to info@playineducation.co.uk and we will add your recommendation to the library!