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Problematic Play

Calliope's picture

While play can be amusing and help children create relationships and learn, play can also be problematic. When play becomes too gendered and boys are expected to play sports and fight while the girls are expected to sit nicely and have tea parties, play becomes problematic. Limiting children and telling them that they cannot do something because of their gender is problematic and leads to low confidence as well as other societal problems. I think that another way play can be problematic is when children begin to exclude or bully others. This playing can lead to agression problems for the bully and self esteem and isolation for the victim. These are two ways that play could potenially be problematic.