Skip to main content

‘Testosterone Play’?

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Men in Early Childhood Education and Care

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Gender and Education ((GED))

  • 692 Accesses

Abstract

In this chapter I address the topic of play, picking up on conclusions from the fatherhood research considered earlier, about men’s particular contribution to play especially physical forms and play in the outdoors. It is no accident that an interest in the employment of men in early childhood education appears to be developing apace with the growth of outdoor education. I discuss data from the Swedish interview-based study with male preschool staff together with findings from Acorns, looking at common perceptions about how gender influences practices related to playfulness, fun, resilience-building and ‘freedom’.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • All-Party Parliamentary Group on a ‘Fit and Healthy Childhood’. (2015). Retrieved January 28, 2018, from http://www.sportsthinktank.com/uploads/appg-fit-healthy-children-report-on-pe-5.pdf.

  • Anderson, E. (2009). Inclusive masculinity. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhana, D., & Moosa, S. (2016). Failing to attract males in foundation phase teaching: An issue of masculinities. Gender and Education, 28(1), 1–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brody, D. (2014). Men who teach young children: An international perspective. London: IOE Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burn, E., & Pratt-Adams, S. (2015). Men teaching children 3–11. London: Bloomsbury.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cannella, G. S. (1997). Deconstructing early childhood education: Social justice and revolution. New York: Peter Lang.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke-Stewart, K. A. (1980). The father’s contribution to children’s cognitive and social development in early childhood. In F. A. Pedersen (Ed.), The father-infant relationship: Observational studies in the family setting. New York: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cushman, P. (2008). So what exactly do they want? What principals mean when they say ‘male role model’. Gender and Education, 20(2), 123–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, P. C., Gandini, L., & Forman, G. (2011). The one hundred languages of children. The Reggio Emilia experience in transformation (3rd ed.). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Emilsen, K., & Koch, B. (2010). Men and women in outdoor play—Changing the concepts of caring from research projects. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 18(4), 543–553.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fletcher, R., St. George, J., & Freeman, E. (2013). Rough and tumble play quality: Theoretical foundations for a new measure of father-child interaction. Early Child Development and Care, 183(6), 746–759.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forest School Association. (2007). Retrieved January 25, 2018, from www.forestschoolassociation.org.

  • Golombok, S. (2000). Parenting. What really counts? London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guldberg, H. (2009). Reclaiming childhood: Freedom and play in an age of fear. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hedlin, M., & Aberg, M. (2012). The call for more male preschool teachers: Echoed and questioned by Swedish student teachers. Early Child Development and Care, 183(1), 149–162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hjalmarrson, M., Lofdahl-Hultmann, A., & Warin, J. (2017). Gendered aspects of Leisure-time teachers’ care—Social and physical dimensions. Education Inquiry, 8(3), 232–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • House, R. (2011). Too much, too soon?: Early learning and the erosion of childhood (early years). Gloucestershire: Hawthorn Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Josephidou, J. (2018). Perceptions of ECEC (Early Childhood Education and Care) practitioners on how their gender influences their approaches to play. PhD thesis, Lancaster University.

    Google Scholar 

  • King, J. R. (1998). Uncommon caring: Learning from men who teach young children. New York and London: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knight, S. (2009). Forest schools and outdoor learning in the early years. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lamb, M. E. (1997). The development of father-infant relationships. In M. E. Lamb (Ed.), The role of the father in child development (pp. 104–120). Chichester: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Little, H., & Eager, D. (2010). Risk, challenge and safety: Implications for play quality and playground design. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 18(4), 497–513.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mackinder, M. (2017). Footprints in the woods: “Tracking” a nursery child through a forest school session. Education 3–13. International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education, 45(2), 176–190.

    Google Scholar 

  • MacNaughton, G. (2000). Rethinking gender in early childhood. St Leonards, Australia: Paul Chapman Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mallozi, C., & Campbell Galman, S. (2016). The ballad of the big manly guy. In S. Brownhill, J. Warin, & I. Wernersson (Eds.), Men, masculinities and teaching in early childhood education: International perspectives on gender and care (pp. 13–26). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mills, M., Haase, M., & Charlton, E. (2008). Being the ‘right’ kind of male teacher: The disciplining of John. Pedagogy, Culture and Society, 16(1), 71–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moser, T., & Martinsen, M. T. (2010). The outdoor environment in Norwegian kindergartens as pedagogical space for toddlers’ play. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 18(4), 457–471.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Brien, L. (2009). Learning outdoors: The forest school approach. Education 3–13. International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education, 37(1), 45–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Sullivan, J., & Chambers, S. (2012). Men working in childcare. Does it matter to children? What do they say? Report from London Early Years Foundation. Retrieved February 28, 2018, from https://issuu.com/leyf/docs/leyf-research-report-men-working-in-childcare-2012.

  • Peeters, J., Rohrmann, T., & Emilsen, K. (2015). Gender balance in ECEC: Why is there so little progress? European Early Childhood Research Journal, 23(3), 302–314.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pellegrini, A. (1987). Rough and tumble play: Developmental and educational significance. Educational Psychologist, 22(1), 23–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pellegrini, A., & Smith, P. (1998). Physical activity play: The nature and function of a neglected aspect of play. Child Development, 69, 557–598.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skelton, C. (2000). A passion for football: Dominant masculinities and primary schooling. Sport, Education and Society, 5(1), 5–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Laere, K., Vansenbroeck, M., Roets, G., & Peeters, P. (2014). Challenging the feminisation of the workforce: Rethinking the mind-body dualism in ECEC. Gender and Education, 26(3), 232–246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waller, T. (2010). ‘Let’s throw hat big stick in the river’: An exploration of gender in the construction of shared narratives around outdoor spaces. European Early Childhood Research Journal, 18(4), 527–542.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warin, J. (2014). The status of care: Linking ‘educare’ and gender. Journal of Gender Studies, 23(1), 93–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warin, J. (2016). ‘Pioneers, professionals, playmates, protectors, ‘poofs’ and ‘paedos’. In S. Brownhill, J. Warin, & I. Wernersson (Eds.), Men, masculinities and teaching in early childhood education (pp. 165–106). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warin, J., Solomon, Y., Lewis, C., & Langford, W. (1999). Fathers, work, and family life (pp. 1–48). London: Family Policy Studies Centre.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wernersson, I. (2016). More men? Swedish arguments over four decades about ‘missing men’ in ECE and care. In S. Brownhill, J. Warin, & I. Wernersson (Eds.), Men, masculinities and teaching in early childhood education: International perspectives on gender and care (pp. 13–26). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams-Siegfredson, J. (2012). Understanding the Danish forest school approach. Early years education and practice. Oxon: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Warin, J. (2018). ‘Testosterone Play’?. In: Men in Early Childhood Education and Care. Palgrave Studies in Gender and Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89539-0_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89539-0_6

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-89538-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-89539-0

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics