Nurturing Through Play - The Role of Descriptive Commentary

Nurturing Through Play

Play is a fundamental part of our development and growth. It is through play that we learn and discover our surroundings, develop essential skills such as communication, problem-solving, and creativity, and make sense of the world around us. This is why it is so important to nurture children's play, especially during their early years.

When we play with a child we often instinctively ask a lot of questions, 'what's that animal called?', 'what colour is that?', 'how many blocks can you build?', whilst these questions are well-intentioned it is suggested that it can often limit the engagement and enjoyment of play between child and adult.

‘Descriptive Commentary’ is a way of interacting with a child at play by simply narrating and describing what they are doing. It simply provides a running commentary (like a sports commentator) on what the child is doing and what is happening.

Commenting on children’s play rather may seem strange or even uncomfortable at first but it is a very effective approach to play - here's why it's an effective approach to play:

Early Years 'Play' Project

In a recent project, I had the pleasure of working with a nursery to support the role of play in children's development. One of the key focuses of this project was on embedding descriptive commentary within the nursery's practice. This approach not only helps to support children's learning and development but also helps adults to engage more effectively with children during play.

To begin with, I introduced descriptive commentary to all staff at the nursery. We discussed the benefits of using this approach and I provided examples of how it can be implemented during different types of play activities and we practiced together for a day, inviting them to observe the difference in the play experiences whilst using the approach. We also discussed the importance of being present and engaged during play, rather than simply observing from a distance or leading play from our own preconceived ideas as to how a child should be playing...... harder than it looks for sure!

Next, we invited parents to a coffee morning to introduce the approach and model its use alongside their children. During the coffee morning, we set up different play areas with a variety of toys and materials, and parents were encouraged to engage in play with their children. We then modelled how to use descriptive commentary during play, describing what the child was doing, thinking, and feeling, and how this can support their learning and wider development.

After modelling the approach, we gave parents time to try it out for themselves with their children. We encouraged them to use descriptive commentary and engage in play with their children. We also provided feedback and answered any questions that parents had.

The response from parents was overwhelmingly positive. They appreciated the opportunity to learn about a new approach to supporting their child's development and enjoyed engaging in play with their children in a new meaningful way.

References and Further Reading

Webster-Stratton, C. (2012). Incredible Teachers: Nurturing Children’s Social, Emotional and Academic Competence. Seattle: Incredible Years Inc.

Webster-Stratton, C. (2005). The Incredible Years: A Trouble-Shooting Guide for Parents of Children Aged 2 – 8 Years. Seattle: Incredible Years Inc.

Running-commentary-and-social-coaching.pdf (sheffieldchildrens.nhs.uk)

Want to share good practice??

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