A History of Children's Play and Play Environments

"The book is highly readable for the general public, and invaluable for education professionals...I can think of few books of more value for parents and educators to read than this one. It is must reading for all persons interested in the welfare and education of children."--Childhood Education

"As a hybrid of scholarship and advocacy, as a general survey of play movements and play environments, and as a passionate manifesto for reviving the role of play policy for the next century, A History of Children's Play and Play Environments constructs a social history of play in America that is determined to prove the beneficial role of play and the pathological consequences of "play deprivation."--American Journal of Play

"Dr. Joe Frost's extensive background as a scholar and researcher of play is evident in his book."--Teachers College Record

"This comprehensive examination of play philosophy, trends, cultural differences, policies, and practices through history is a 'must read' for play scholars, researchers, and play advocates. Well-referenced for the play scholar but very readable for the lay person, this book traces the roots of contemporary challenges and documents the need for a 'child saving movement' to restore children's opportunities for play. Informative and compelling!" --Olga Jarrett, Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education, Georgia State University and President, American Association for the Child's Right to Play (IPA/USA)

"Joe Frost, an esteemed pioneer in his field, has produced a must read for everyone concerned about the health and well-being of children. A History of Children's Play and Play Environments is a wake up call to the essential need to bring back unstructured play and the dire consequences for an increasingly sedentary society."-- Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder