Abstract
Inspired by new feminist materialism, this paper seeks to reimagine existing knowledge of girls, sexuality and playgrounds by considering how the socio-material reality may unlock girls’ capacities for what is possible through play. Focusing on semi-structured interviews of girls (aged 12–13), the paper draws attention to the playground as an ‘assemblage’ of human and non-human matter that connect to illuminate other ways of being, feeling and doing. We argue that the assemblage not only creates spaces for girls to disrupt hetero-patriarchal ideologies but simultaneously serves to reinforce them. Interventions require attention to the oppressive materialities that underpin play.