Feature Website Playing for Keeps! http://www.playingforkeeps.org Reviewed by Sadaf Junaid Zuberi Playing for Keeps represents a non-profit coalition of stakeholders dedicated to the optimal development of children by supporting, promoting, and protecting the role of play in children’s lives. The web resource aims to bridge the gap between what researchers have learnt about play and what parents and professionals who

impact kids' lives need to know to help nurture children to their full potential. The website has been simply yet elegantly designed and contains wide range of information for parents, educators and toy manufacturers, who impact development of children through the decisions they make and the products they produce.

‘About Us’ features history of Playing for Keeps, its vision, mission and the core beliefs which reinforce its critical role in linking policy and practice to research based knowledge. The website’s ‘Resources’ include usable, helpful information translated from research work relating to play and available through easy downloads in ‘pdf’ format. The documents are sorted distinctly into five sections for the multiple stakeholders (parents, early childhood and elementary educators, toy and children's entertainment manufacturers and retailers, human service providers and the media). The sub-sections provide information on the importance of healthy, constructive play to children’s development, research papers and reports, downloadable guides to toy selection and play and offer suggestions for those who want to take action to promote healthy values in toy design and marketing. Recommendations for toys that encourage constructive play and toys to avoid are also presented.

A vast range of link resources to websites and information on books about play are presented in the ‘Library’ section. The ‘Play Store’ highlights sources where Playing for Keeps resources are available for purchase including books and CDs. While majority of the online materials is Playing for Keeps’ own production, the information through certain cross links represent values, opinion and research of external sources. These, as the website states, reflect Playing for Keeps’ commitment to including all voices in the conversation about toys and play for children so as to promote mutual learning through exchange of inquiries, values and philosophies.

On the whole, the website is a comprehensive resource for everyone who is committed to doing his or her part in promoting healthy development outcomes for children. It’s a must see for all caregivers!