New directions in play: consensus or collision?

The aims of this article are to explore contemporary challenges to developing play in early childhood settings, and to identify areas of consensus and collision in policy and practice. Contemporary research highlights the effectiveness of mixed pedagogical approaches, including child- and adult-initiated play. Whilst early childhood specialists recognise these approaches as central to high-quality curricula in early childhood settings, play continues to pose a number of challenges to teachers and practitioners. These issues are discussed in the context of contemporary theoretical trends towards developing critical pedagogies, which contest the power effects of free play and free choice in the context of wider concerns about equity and social justice.