Dangerous activities within an invisible playground: a study of emergent male football play and teachers' perspectives of outdoor free play in the early years of primary school

This research was carried out during a study which focused upon the rough and tumble play of children in the early years department of a suburban primary school in Northern England. The child sample’s playtime activities were ethnographically observed over a period of eighteen calendar months, during which time interviews were also carried out with the children’s class teachers and several other adults taking part in the children’s daily school routines. It was found that the narratives created by a cohort of 4½-6½ year old boys around their football (soccer) play were socially and symbolically complex, providing evidence that such play is a highly valuable developmental activity. However, the interview data indicated that principally due to very low adult: child ratios in playground supervision, the focus of the adults was strongly directed towards negative aspects of outdoor free play.