Why? Yorkshire Play says that fire-based play can include creating Diwali lamps, candle decorating and cooking over a barbeque. But compared to more common types of play such as kite flying, digging or swimming, work with fire is considered more controversial.
What did they do? Following the meeting, a panel of play practitioners discussed how they use fire safely in play. A discussion for and against playing with fire followed between play practitioners, representatives from fire and rescue services and a 10-year-old who engages in supervised fire play.
What did they learn? Rebecca Johnson, play and learning director at Eureka!, says: "Many children are instinctively drawn to fire, and repressing this interest might lead to an unhealthy fascination later. One approach is to give children the chance to learn how to safely handle fire in a controlled environment. The open meeting gave practitioners a chance to discuss the pros and cons of fire play with fire safety professionals."
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