Skip to main content

Power of Play ~ Fine Art and Sciences M/W/F Class

“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.” - Mr. Rogers
 
Hello families, the children are working hard at school! Translation, they have been playing hard which in reality is their way of learning and interacting in their world. They are learning through play. There are so many key factors that play is important to a child’s development, it is the foundation of their early learning stages. Play develops many skills in young children such as problem solving, working with others, language, creativity and socials skills to name some.




Here is Cecily developing many skills like recognizing different animals and sorting like ones together. This is helping her learn math and science. She has also built little homes for her farm which is using her problem-solving skills, creativity, imagination and her fine motor skills.









Ronin, Daya, Laura and Ayden are using their social skills and language skills by sharing and taking turns while playing at the Lego table. The children are also developing their imagination, creativity and problem-solving skills as they build their masterpieces. This group playing is an opportunity for the children to observe and listen to each other which will help them with their emotional development.





These three friends, Cecily, Jayce and Chloe are creating funny faced jack o lanterns. They are interacting and communicating with one another which leads to building their vocabulary and language skills. They are all learning to negotiate and take turns since they are working together on one pumpkin. These skills that they are learning, they will use their entire lives.








 
 
Here is Ronin H playing with wooden cars and trains. He is problem solving by putting the appropriate pieces together to build his vehicles. He is recognizing the different sizes and shapes by putting them in order. This play is helping him to build his fine motor skills and his concentration. 
 
 
 
 
As you can see, play is an integral part of how a child learns and develops. It provides their learning journey.



Until next time, Deanna





 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

4 Year Old M/W/F Class – I Hear…I See…I Wonder…

We began one of our circle discussions with a question for the children, “What would you like to learn, wonder or hear about?” Here is what they said:    “Skateboarding, Soccer, Perches” (Connor) “Bikes” (Taylor) “Going outside to see if I left my toy” (Jun)  “The Sun” (Jack) “Rollerskating and Swimming” (Daniella)"Skating” (Noel) “Ball” (Sofie) “Scooter and Tricycle” (Masaki) “Shoes” (Ashlan) “When you put something under a pillow you can find it” (Tia) “Soccer” (Kyle) From my list I noticed quite a few of the children were interested in wheels, so at our next circle discussion we looked closely at a scooter and a pair of roller skates – as well as the wheels on a long board. The conversation brought up more questions and answers, which the children confidently discussed amongst themselves. One of the questions was “What makes this a scooter?” The conversation followed with “The scooter has a handle and a brake” and “I know how to ride a long board.” ...

Social Responsibility: Down to the Core

Social responsibility- a term that has now become quite common in the field of education and has the potential to lose its meaning if we are not careful. As an early childhood educator, I have always placed great importance on the need to develop this way of thinking in young children. It is for this reason that we engage in activities that benefit others, such as volunteering at our local food bank, adopting an owl, or raising money for Variety Club. With the recent catastrophe in the Philippines, my mind was suddenly thrown into its own typhoon. I found myself asking questions around social responsibility and what it really means. What does it mean to me? What does it mean to my preschoolers? How far does it extend into the world around us? Can four year old children grasp these deep and complex concepts? What can they understand about their world? How can we teach them about being socially responsible to: ones self; ones family; ones community; ones province; ones country; ones worl...

And We Begin

This week marks a new beginning for all of us. And, with all new beginnings, it provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the past and think about what is to come. I have been going to yoga a lot this past while and one of the things the instructors mention at the onset of each class is to create an intention for your practice.  I thought a lot about this concept and decided that it would be interesting and important to apply it to my teaching on a deeper level than in the past. So, as I move into the year, I am hoping to set intentions, which I believe are different than goals. For me personally, goals are more structured and outcome driven. Intentions imply more of a journey. Balancing intentions with flexibility and openness will be the challenge.  I also want to explore the idea of children setting their own intentions. Can this work? Will they understand? Can we help support this idea without creating comparisons or pressure? I am really not sure. And so we begin...