The event has been organised by TACTYC, a group of researchers, trainersand practitioners in early years, to highlight the role of play in earlyeducation.
They fear that although there appears to have been a focus on play ingeneral, the part it plays in young children's educational developmenthas been neglected.
TACTYC chair Pat Broadhead, Professor of Playful Learning at LeedsMetropolitan University, said, 'We want to draw attention to therelatively small amount of research on play and learning in early yearssettings. We need to look at the relationship between play and learningand consider how we know what children are learning about when theyplay.'
Professor Broadhead said that while there has been a focus on play incommunity settings, she was concerned that insufficient interest hadbeen shown in play in educational settings.
'The Government think that they've ticked off play in early yearssettings. There's a substantial legacy from not talking about play,' shesaid.
A new report by TACTYC published in November will draw on findings andrecommendations from research presented at a conference organisedearlier this year by TACTYC, in conjunction with BERA (BritishEducational Research Association), which looked at play and learningfrom birth to eight.
Those interested in attending the debate should e-mailp.broadhead@leedsmet.ac.uk.