In this episode of Play Attention, Beth Cooper speaks with designer, educator and author Cas Holman about her new book, Playful, and why reclaiming free play matters just as much for adults as it does for children.

At the heart of the conversation is a simple design principle: name by function. Start with what something is really for - connection, risk, rowdiness, joy - before deciding what it should look like.

From rooftop playgrounds in Brooklyn to refugee encampments on the US-Mexico border, Cas reflects on what happens when we flatten abstraction into compliance, efficiency or tidy solutions.

Drawing on her work with urban schools, loose parts environments and Anji Play, Cas and Beth explore:

• How releasing judgment helps adults rediscover free play
• Bringing risk assessors into the play conversation
• Designing playgrounds in places leaders cannot ignore
• Letting children be rowdy
• Why removing the outcome unlocks imagination

A energising conversation about resisting over-optimisation, and designing both playgrounds and adult lives with more possibility.

Find our More:

Cas Holman

Anji Play

Timberplay

Play Attention is a podcast from Timberplay - exploring the thinkers, designers and changemakers shaping the future of play.

Hosted by Beth Cooper, Independent Play Consultant.

Theme music by Dave Mullen Jnr

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