Buy new:
$11.00
FREE delivery Saturday, May 11 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$11.00
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Saturday, May 11 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Friday, May 10. Order within 9 hrs 57 mins
In Stock
$$11.00 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$11.00
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$6.49
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
Book is in good condition and may include underlining highlighting and minimal wear. The book can also include "From the library of" labels. May not contain miscellaneous items toys, dvds, etc. . We offer 100% money back guarantee and 24 7 customer service. Free 2-day shipping with Amazon Prime! Book is in good condition and may include underlining highlighting and minimal wear. The book can also include "From the library of" labels. May not contain miscellaneous items toys, dvds, etc. . We offer 100% money back guarantee and 24 7 customer service. Free 2-day shipping with Amazon Prime! See less
FREE delivery Saturday, May 11 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 9 hrs 57 mins
Only 4 left in stock - order soon.
$$11.00 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$11.00
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Vivian Gussin Paley
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

A Child's Work: The Importance of Fantasy Play Paperback – May 27, 2005

by Vivian Gussin Paley (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 148 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$11.00","priceAmount":11.00,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"11","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"00","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"iQ%2FL2LKnp6rpX0lpQUx%2BFMjDQoGY999FXl9Pw3XoAOQ%2BcCVSigPpaY3wcCfZ3dFxR5hU%2FPsxmHRdyOu4riAnmfSbQKFo0Ce4PQgLix4R8ORT2GtI%2FnzuSI08y%2Bbi4YmR1E34B%2F6g%2FxQ%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$6.49","priceAmount":6.49,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"6","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"49","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"iQ%2FL2LKnp6rpX0lpQUx%2BFMjDQoGY999FxPq0NDwTLeBnJ2AO%2BHVJMF12TesCOndu7%2FI3748CV%2FgCLnAdpYtwOJ78Vq6hdi%2BHonZGVOvjQ2%2FOk%2FlShLHDUaZ5QRJFJpdSKYizVhngjCD9T0C95YXeIBQKXm%2FWxb1yll5HnwVYAQTEZH41hbGtQDj3xPZrQ20o","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

The buzz word in education today is accountability. But the federal mandate of "no child left behind" has come to mean curriculums driven by preparation for standardized tests and quantifiable learning results. Even for very young children, unstructured creative time in the classroom is waning as teachers and administrators are under growing pressures to measure school readiness through rote learning and increased homework. In her new book, Vivian Gussin Paley decries this rapid disappearance of creative time and makes the case for the critical role of fantasy play in the psychological, intellectual, and social development of young children.

A Child's Work goes inside classrooms around the globe to explore the stunningly original language of children in their role-playing and storytelling. Drawing from their own words, Paley examines how this natural mode of learning allows children to construct meaning in their worlds, meaning that carries through into their adult lives. Proof that play is the work of children, this compelling and enchanting book will inspire and instruct teachers and parents as well as point to a fundamental misdirection in today's educational programs and strategies.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    111 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    University of Chicago Press
  4. Publication date
    May 27, 2005
  5. Dimensions
    5.25 x 0.5 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0226644898
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0226644899
  8. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

A Child's Work: The Importance of Fantasy Play
$11.00
Get it as soon as Saturday, May 11
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
You Can’t Say You Can’t Play
$25.00
Get it as soon as Saturday, May 11
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The Girl with the Brown Crayon: How Childen Use Stories to Shape Their Lives
$22.57
Get it as soon as Saturday, May 11
Only 8 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This irresistible book is Vivian Gussin Paley at her very best. Her present inssistence on the necessary relation between a rich variety of fantasy play and intellectual growth is represented as a hard-earned, precious insight, on which she will not negotiate."

From the Inside Flap

The buzz word in education today is accountability. But the federal mandate of "no child left behind" has come to mean curriculums driven by preparation for standardized tests and quantifiable learning results. Even for very young children, unstructured creative time in the classroom is waning as teachers and administrators are under growing pressures to measure school readiness through rote learning and increased homework. In her new book, Vivian Gussin Paley decries this rapid disappearance of creative time and makes the case for the critical role of fantasy play in the psychological, intellectual, and social development of young children.

A Child's Work goes inside classrooms around the globe to explore the stunningly original language of children in their role-playing and storytelling. Drawing from their own words, Paley examines how this natural mode of learning allows children to construct meaning in their worlds, meaning that carries through into their adult lives. Proof that play is the work of children, this compelling and enchanting book will inspire and instruct teachers and parents as well as point to a fundamental misdirection in today's educational programs and strategies.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Chicago Press; 4/27/05 edition (May 27, 2005)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 111 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0226644898
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0226644899
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.5 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 148 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Vivian Gussin Paley

Vivian Gussin Paley

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Vivian Gussin Paley worked for nearly forty years as a preschool and kinder-garten teacher and is the author of thirteen books about young children, including, most recently, A Child's Work: The Importance of Fantasy Play.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
148 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

bcooper
5.0 out of 5 stars Let them Play
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2011
Verified Purchase
The book is written by Vivian Gussin Paley as she chronicles her a 37 years as a nursery school and kindergarten teacher and her observations of dramatic play in the classroom.This book gives a strong arguement for less table work and more play for learners of all ages, and the methods that Ms. Paley describes in her book prove the value of dramatic play in the classroom, at any grade level.
I chose this book based on the title and my interest in using "fantasy play" and drama to teach social lessons in my own classroom. The themes of the book are seemingly progressive compared to the current academic expectations and preparations for children in the classroom. Yet, Vivian Paley contends that our schools have actually departed from the play-based nursery school and kindergartens of the past. Throughout the book, she criticizes the disappearance of dramatic play from American schools. She feels that the absence of play has become a major obstacle in children's path to learning and asks that storytelling and play be brought back to the classroom.
Dramatic play in the classroom setting is the child's "work." As children explore character, setting and intentions, like a professional actor does, they learn more and understand more about their lives. Dramatic play teaches socialization and life lessons that children have trouble grasping otherwise. Through their difficult work, they grow as human beings.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Diane E. Craig
5.0 out of 5 stars Read this before
Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2013
Verified Purchase
Have this book in a hard copy, and have read it when first came out, but was traveling this summer, and wanted to read it again, but did not want to carry too many books. The Kindle version makes my summer reading manageable, and fun again.Vivian Paley has made looking at children through play and imagination as a form of art. In the phrase, "Stop the world, I want to get off" applies here. Children have mastered stopping the world and getting off to learn through the creative art of play. When do we lose this art form?
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
PAUL HARRIS
5.0 out of 5 stars geting in touch with your childhood
Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2007
Verified Purchase
Vivian Gussen Paley is one of the best advocates for children baing allowed to learn through play. She reminds us of how we used to learn, how we used fantasy play to calm our anxieties, and also the need for us to stop and really listen to what children are talking about. This book is a must have for parents, and teachers of children aged 0ne to eight, it offers an insight to the value of children learning to learn. Fantasy play encompasses every aspect of the curricullum and the value that should be placed in this type of play.
10 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Melissa M.
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2017
Verified Purchase
A clear description with specific examples of the importance of play in early childhood education.
Helpful
 Report
Donsabeard
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read for early childhood educators!
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2013
Verified Purchase
Very simple...anyone who is in a public elementary school will read this and pine for the good old days. Definitely a confirmation about what SHOULD be happening in a kindergarten classroom. Feel like sending this to every yo-yo creating educational policy just as a reminder of how little we have to interfere with our students' creativity.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Jeniflex
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Resource 👍🏻
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2020
Verified Purchase
As a behavior therapist, I found this to be a useful resource
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Erin
5.0 out of 5 stars A must have!
Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2015
Verified Purchase
A book that any parent, teacher or child care provider should have. We've only to watch children play to know that they take their "jobs" very seriously....a great foundation for tweaking our thinking that play is "just play".

I highly recommend it!
Helpful
 Report
Sara
4.0 out of 5 stars Fantasy Play
Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2013
Verified Purchase
I got this book for an Early Education Class at college. It was a supplemental to the main text. We spent a little time on the book and it was interesting. I bought the follow-on from this class called Deep Play.
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

kogu
5.0 out of 5 stars respecting children's viewpoints
Reviewed in Canada on May 25, 2014
Verified Purchase
It was a pleasure to read this book. As a mother and a teacher, the book is inspiring and refreshing giving me deep insight to the value of children's play. We know it is important, and I wish I could convey that gently and clearly like Vivian Paley.
One person found this helpful
 Report
belkis
5.0 out of 5 stars Vital book fro parents/teachers who truly respect children's innate desire to learn through fantasy and play!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 14, 2015
Verified Purchase
The importance of fantasy, nothing is so important in a child's life. To be allowed to play make believe, to imagine something is somethingelse.
This is where creativity, flexibility starts which are the basis for more complex, rational thinking. The starting school age at 4 years old in the UK is killing fantasy. That is very worring for children emotional intelligence and well being in the long run. Allow children to be free, to imagine, to create. Do not start teaching reading and writing too early - most of Europe starts at 6 years old - and let kids learn at their own pace.
Report
Linda Chapman
5.0 out of 5 stars A treasure store of inspiration
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 8, 2013
Verified Purchase
This book is an absolute treasure and provided an in-depth insight into children's fantasy play, something which fascinates me. I gained lots of ideas that I have already used with the children that I work with in my own nursery. I will certainly be reading more books by this inspiring author.
One person found this helpful
 Report