The worldwide pandemic has impacted each of us in many ways. We long for things to get back to "normal". Our preschool students, however, have never known any other "normal" and have missed out on experiences that previous children their age had. Playdates with friends, outings with cousins, family reunions, even trips to the grocery store or to a restaurant, have not been possible for much of their young lives. Now that they are entering school, we are seeing that their social/emotional skills are below what is usually considered age appropriate.
Encouraging cooperative play is essential to help these sweet children learn to navigate social situations. Mr Fred Rogers said, "Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning." The lessons taught through play are numerous; taking turns, thinking creatively, sharing ideas, working together, problem solving, following directions, respecting others' opinions. All of these are essential life skills that begin with play and carry on throughout school and career and relationships.
So much learning happens through meaningful, cooperative play. Holding on to a parachute and raising it up and down to bounce a beach ball is so much fun that children don't even realize that they are learning to be a team player and work towards a common goal. Some activities are more teacher driven while others are more child driven, but they are all beneficial. I have carefully selected items that will benefit each student in my classroom and provide opportunities for meaningful, educational, and cooperative play. I appreciate your help in providing these experiences for my students!
About my class
The worldwide pandemic has impacted each of us in many ways. We long for things to get back to "normal". Our preschool students, however, have never known any other "normal" and have missed out on experiences that previous children their age had. Playdates with friends, outings with cousins, family reunions, even trips to the grocery store or to a restaurant, have not been possible for much of their young lives. Now that they are entering school, we are seeing that their social/emotional skills are below what is usually considered age appropriate.
Encouraging cooperative play is essential to help these sweet children learn to navigate social situations. Mr Fred Rogers said, "Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning." The lessons taught through play are numerous; taking turns, thinking creatively, sharing ideas, working together, problem solving, following directions, respecting others' opinions. All of these are essential life skills that begin with play and carry on throughout school and career and relationships.
So much learning happens through meaningful, cooperative play. Holding on to a parachute and raising it up and down to bounce a beach ball is so much fun that children don't even realize that they are learning to be a team player and work towards a common goal. Some activities are more teacher driven while others are more child driven, but they are all beneficial. I have carefully selected items that will benefit each student in my classroom and provide opportunities for meaningful, educational, and cooperative play. I appreciate your help in providing these experiences for my students!
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