Emotion and playful interactions (Pursi, Lipponen & Sajaniemi, 2018)

 Pursi, A., Lipponen, L. & Sajaniemi, N.K. (2018) Emotional and playful stance taking in joint play between adults and very young children. Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, 18(1), 28-45.

The authors begin with a review of the complex social processes enacted in play, affording opportunities to rehearse, challenge, and affiliate with others. The paper explores shifts in stance as teachers and young children engage in jointly constructed make-believe play, moving in and out of scripts, with changes in emotive states. This type of interaction in which the teacher participates allows children to explore emotionally-charged experiences (eg missing their mothers during the day), articulating feelings through play. Importantly, this play is supported by the process of group enactment, allowing emotions to be acknowledged and shared in responses to each contribution to the ongoing activity.