1 / 5Playing on the Mother-Ground: Cultural Routines for Children's Development
Playing on the Mother-Ground: Cultural Routines for Children's Development examines child development through the everyday play and routines of Kpelle-speaking communities in West Africa. It challenges frameworks that treat formal schooling and parent-led teaching as universal, making it relevant to readers interested in cultural and practice-based approaches to development.
At a glance
- Focuses on Kpelle-speaking people of West Africa and the role of children's play near adult work.
- Discusses games, folklore, and everyday routines as influences on early development.
- Presents a practice-based perspective that contrasts with approaches centered on schooling and deliberate parent teaching.
Reference price: $43.00
Price checked: Nov 14, 2026
View offerAhead of Black FridayExplore the selectionPros and cons
Pros
- Offers a culturally situated perspective on child development rather than assuming one Western pattern is universal.
- Connects play and observation of adult work with children's everyday learning.
- Includes photographs and first-hand description, according to the listing.
Technical specifications
9 specifications| Publisher | The Guilford Press |
|---|---|
| Publication date | November 16, 1996 |
| Edition | 1st |
| Language | English |
| Print length | 240 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1572302151 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1572302150 |
| Weight listed | 12 ounces |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches |
Who is it for?
A good fit for
- Readers of cultural anthropology and human development.
- Students and researchers interested in childhood, play, and cultural learning.
- Readers comparing school-centered development theories with community-based routines.
Less suited to
- Readers seeking a practical parenting manual or step-by-step activities.
- Buyers looking for current developmental research rather than a book published in 1996.
Customer reviews on Amazon
- 5 stars
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Aggregate ratings are positive, but the available sample is very small and no written customer feedback is supplied. The ratings alone cannot establish which aspects readers valued, so they offer limited guidance about whether the book's ethnographic and theoretical focus suits a particular reader.
Frequently asked questions
What is the book about?
It describes how play, games, folklore, and observation of adult activities shape children's development among Kpelle-speaking people, and considers the broader relevance of cultural routines.
Is this a hands-on parenting guide?
The supplied description presents it as an ethnographic and theoretical discussion of child development, not as a step-by-step parenting manual.
What publication details are listed?
The listing identifies a first edition published by The Guilford Press on November 16, 1996, in English, with 240 pages.
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