Irresistible Ideas for Play based Learning

This might be my favorite creative link to date.
Love the ideas, the message and the process.
Check out their facebook page
and make sure and take a look
at the photo's and blog!

Meeting standards through play

Accountability is not the way you might describe this picture, but that is exactly what I hope you see. As we strive to meet a variety of child outcome and program standards, we are pressured to produce results. This play experience fully engaged seven children for 45 minutes. During this session, children problem solved, asked questions, negotiated physical space (both fine and gross motor) made and tested predictions, enhanced social skills and most importantly laughed and expressed excitement and joy each and every time a marble made it successfully through the maze. Representation and retelling would complete this activity and add to the experience so that it would demonstrate children's development in all 50 learning outcomes aligned with the curriculum. This is the measure of "worthiness" for activities and instruction. Step back and reflect on each moment you are "instructing". Look at each child's expressions. Listen for the joy. Base your planning and decisions on providing rich and meaningful play based programming as you articulate how you best learn with children and surpass the standards!

let the children play

let the children play

Something about play

In early childhood we talk the language of play.We admire play from a distance, but when we are cornered...by anyone with concerns for "academics" we crumble a bit. Children right now need play advocates. Study and read to understand the research and the value. Become fluent in the language of play so that you may talk the benefits and the development that play promotes. Spend time in quiet self guided play. Listen to your self talk. Reflect on how your play unfolds. Play is critical and necessary for many of life's problems. Ensure that all children know how to play and have uninterrupted play experiences with rich materials that allow for exploration.
Become a play advocate...please!