The Art of Roughhousing: Good Old-Fashioned Horseplay and Why Every Kid Needs It/Big Body Play: Why Boisterous, Vigorous, and Very Physical Play Is Essential to Children's Development and Learning

The Art of Roughhousing: Good Old-Fashioned Horseplay and Why Every Kid Needs It Anthony T. DeBenedet and Lawrence J. Cohen Philadelphia: Quirk Books, 2010. Preface, illustrations, notes, references. 190 pp. $14.95 paper. ISBN: 9781594744877

Big Body Play: Why Boisterous, Vigorous, and Very Physical Play Is Essential to Children's Development and Learning Frances M.Carlson Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2011. Introduction, illustrations, appendices, references. 103 pp. $20.00. ISBN: 9781928896715

Given the increasing concern with child- hood obesity and child inactivity, it is not surprising that two relatively recent publi- cations focus on the importance of active, physical play in young children. These works convey a strong message to embrace and encourage rough physical play that adults (parents and teachers) often want to stop. Big Body Play by Frances M. Carl- son and The Art of Roughhousing (2010) by Anthony T. DeBenedet and Lawrence J. Cohen present two perspectives on active, physical play in children and share the message that this kind of play should, in fact, be encouraged as it offers benefits for several areas of child development.

Interestingly, while the two books address different audiences (Carlson's seems aimed at early-childhood education professionals; DeBenedt and Cohen's, at parents), they both do an impressive job of reviewing relevant research literature. Both books review pertinent and well- accepted research as a basis for their argu- ment that roughhousing and big body play are naturally occurring and developmen- tally necessary behaviors.

Carlson's book offers a thorough analysis of what is known by others as rough-and-tumble play, super-hero play,...