Dr Kay Mathieson
Author And Speaker Specialising In Children’S Social, Emotional And Behavioural Learning
Kay has worked in Early Years and primary settings since 1981. This has included supporting children with additional needs, especially behaviour, and their families. She led the Early Years Inclusion Team in a London Borough for 6 years, which involved supporting private, voluntary and independent sector settings to develop more inclusive practice. She has completed her PhD research into the development of social competence in young children at Sussex University.
Kay worked part time with the National Strategies as an Early Years Regional Adviser until 2011 when she became a Director of Linden Learning, an ethical educational training and consultancy business. She has a particular interest in exploring what life is like in our early years settings for two year olds and the way in which children with additional needs and their families are included effectively.
This led to her recent book using case studies to explore the SEND Code of Practice (2014). As an independent trainer and consultant Kay works nationally with local authorities, academies and PVI/maintained settings across the sector to improve the quality of provision and understanding of each child’s experience
Key takeaways:
- Dr. Kay Matherson’s Background: Experienced in early years and primary settings, Matherson specializes in supporting children with additional needs, particularly in behavior, and has led the early years inclusion team for London Boroughs. She holds a PhD in social competence in young children, has served as a national strategies advisor, authored several books, and is the director of Lin Learning, a consultancy and speaking platform.
- Superhero Play Focus: Matherson, initially skeptical, became a proponent of superhero play after researching its developmental benefits, emphasizing its role in children’s social and emotional growth, and addressing common practitioner concerns about its appropriateness.
- Developmental Context: Superhero play aligns with key developmental stages, starting with mimicry (ages 2–3), progressing to complex moral reasoning (ages 3–4), and advanced problem-solving (age 5+), helping children explore attachment, peer relationships, identity, and perspective-taking.
- Social Learning Benefits: Through superhero play, children learn to negotiate rules, understand fairness (e.g., moral dilemmas like resource sharing), and practice conflict resolution, fostering skills like compromise, resilience, and self-regulation.
- Story Structure and Tales Toolkit: Superhero narratives (e.g., Numberjacks, Tree Fu Tom, Paw Patrol) mirror Tales Toolkit’s story structure (characters, setting, problem, resolution), supporting language development, moral awareness, and collaborative problem-solving in a playful, child-led context.
- Addressing Concerns: Research, including from Penny Holland, Diane Rich, and Stephen Pople, shows no link between superhero play and increased aggression; instead, it helps children process moral dilemmas and societal roles, countering myths about its negative impact.
- Practical Implementation: Matherson advocates for adult involvement as play companions to scaffold thinking, encourage rule-making (e.g., setting boundaries for weapon play), and engage parents by sharing the developmental value of superhero play, fostering inclusivity and understanding in settings.
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