Evidence of the disappearance of child-initiated play, widespread and striking, has been largely anecdotal. The Alliance for Childhood is working to enable researchers to document the status of play in early childhood settings and to identify effective methods for nurturing and encouraging creative play in classrooms, homes, and communities. This knowledge will be important for offering practical guidance and effective techniques for local park and recreation directors and workers, children’s museum and zoo staff, and early childhood educators and others in creating their own pro-play programs and policies.

The Alliance is currently funding a qualitative study of play in public school classrooms by professors Jan Drucker and Barbara Schecter of the Sarah Lawrence College Child Development Institute. In addition, the Alliance is supporting professors Jennifer Astuto of Long Island University and LaRue Allen of New York University, who are designing and carrying out a quantitative study of play and formal instruction in New York City public kindergartens. The research tools being developed for this study will be adapted for use in other areas of the country.

Policy on Indirect Costs

In making grants to research institutions, the Alliance for Childhood as a matter of policy funds the direct costs of research only, excluding administrative overhead fees and other indirect costs. For more information, contact program director Ed Miller: ed@allianceforchildhood.org.