One a Penny, Two a Penny (2025:2)
Notes, Thoughts, and Notions
When did you last make time for Play?
When did you last make time for Play? This is the opening question in Michael Rosen’s 2020 publication: ‘Michael Rosen’s Book of Play! Why Play Really Matters, and 101 Ways to Get More of It in Your Life’.
It is published by Wellcome Collection, which is described as a ‘free museum and library that aims to challenge how we think and feel about health’. This book is for all ages and is full of doodles, wordplay, nonsense rhymes, playful learning and much more. He begins with writing – Introduction – and then writes “Actually, let’s not call this an ‘introduction’, let’s call it ‘Hello’. I’ll start again. Forget that I called it ‘Introduction’. That didn’t happen.). Hello. Hello Reader.”
You will find yourself smiling as you read this book and also trying out some of his ideas.
I recommend this book to everyone as a reminder to be more playful.
You will have seen in the Newsletter that Moose and Mouse continue their adventure with the Little Fox, and that the creatures themselves are showing more signs of their neurodiversity, an important learning both for us the reader, as well as for the children who listen to our stories. And the continuing story in the newsletters of Jimmy Swift, the Boy from Somerset, who lives on a barge, illustrates how a child can be strongly motivated to learn to read and do maths, as Jimmy can see an immediate goal in assisting his dad run his delivery business. Perhaps the story needs more ‘happenings’? I’ve been told it is interesting, and it reads like a diary, and it need adventures or a plot! What do you think?
How can we be helpful to teachers who struggle with complete lack of motivation in many pupils? And of course the ones who are motivated are finding learning impossible! We find that those with low motivation will often stay away school, saying they are bored, and the ones who wish to learn, stay away from school so they can fulfil some education at home. Currently we have the highest rate of children and young people having home education in any recent year.
What is the point of it all? is a frequent cry! We know what Jimmy Swift’s answer would be – he can see an immediate relevance in order to assist his dad in his barge, delivery business. However many teenagers seem unable to think that far ahead. What matters is what is happening right now and the immediate future. A tangible, interesting, well paid future does not seem possible. What Piaget would perhaps have called the lack of ‘object permanence’. We know just how many children have strong fears of being abandoned, lost, given away or removed. So how can these children develop object permanence when they have no time to form a ‘good enough’ attachment? They are always ‘moving on’.
It seems an extraordinary paradox that our teenagers are avoiding preparation for the world of work, and the Government has instigated draconian laws to stop people entering this country to take up vacant jobs!
I am very excited that I have been asked to start a new course online for NDP China – participants will learn how to create their own therapeutic stories as well as adapting myths and fairy tales from their own and other’s cultures.
With the beginning of NDP Romania this summer, NDP is definitely growing!
With love,
Dr Sue
Next week’s webinar
NDP and Self Harm
An NDP ‘Whistlestop’ Course
Wednesday 19 March, 1800-2000 (UK time)
Friday 21 March, 0900-1100 (UK Time)
Children and young people demonstrate self-harm in many forms. The strongest reaction of adults to self-harm is a feeling of helplessness and so they may cajole, threaten, punish, plead or blame themselves or suffer guilt. Self-harm stirs up profound emotions.
This Whistlestop Course explores the potential basis for much of self-harming behaviours, and suggests creative methods to both understand and even change this destruction of the body. We shall consider how we can take pressure off children and young people to provide answers, when often they do not know themselves why they hurt themselves.
There will also be opportunities for questions from people’s work or home examples.
Only £45 (including Eventbrite fee)
News and Views
Please be aware that the Naxos Course is filling up very quickly!
Naxos NDP course (Diploma, Advanced, Trainers) is Monday 26 May – Saturday 31 May. More information on website Naxos Creative.
Groups and Individual Supervision
We have no places in our evening Supervision Groups
NEW proposed Supervision group on Wednesdays 4.30-6.0, 2025. Cost £25 per session. Please apply.
Individual Supervision – there is currently one space available. Enquire via admin@ndpltd.org
Huge thanks to all you people who are subscribers to my Substack – it makes such a difference to enable me to write, instead of chasing other free-lance work. It is £65 per year or £6 per month for The Nest. As well as your own Newsletter section every 10 days or so, you get 4 free webinars per year, and 10% reduction on any UK course.
If you join The Founders Group, it is £120 per year, you get 15% reduction on any UK Training, plus free consultations, and 6 free Webinars per year. Do join us!
In addition, both paid groups have their own therapeutic stories, news items and new techniques and approaches in play and the arts.