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Learning through play

  • 1.  Learning through play

    Posted 06-27-2019 03:14 PM
    Children learn best and quickest through play. That is their route for learning; therefore, making sure the daily schedule has plenty of play (both indoor and outdoor) with language, literacy, math, and science intentionally worked in is essential.  Some examples include having a play restaurant set up where there are menus with pictures of food with the name of the food written underneath.  

    Anyone else want to share ideas?

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    DeAnn Jones
    Co-Facilitator for the Family Child Care Interest Forum
    Discovery Place Child Care, LLC
    Bozeman, MT
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  • 2.  RE: Learning through play

    Posted 06-28-2019 09:28 AM
    Hello,
    Play definitely has a big impact on the development of children, physically and mentally. When the weather is nice and warm, we take advantage of spending outside everyday, one of their favorites are jumping from the stumps that we wrote numbers on it. They have fun balancing on it and at the same time they learn recognizing numbers. In addition, with magnifying glass provided to them, we counted how many rings the stump have and they continue to explore the yard by searching for bugs all around them. And, of course the water table play, I put in rocks (use toothbrushes to scrub), fishes (use rods to fish), mini cups (scoop and pour) and shells (big and small), this is the favorite of all. 
    Happy playing ya'll.

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    Hayres Albert
    Owner/Provider
    Li'l Feet Home Daycare
    Herndon VA
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  • 3.  RE: Learning through play

    Posted 06-30-2019 10:24 AM
    Thanks, Hayres!  I love these ideas.  There is so much learning through play that can take place outdoors!

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    DeAnn Jones
    Co-Facilitator for the Family Child Care Interest Forum
    Discovery Place Child Care, LLC
    Bozeman, MT
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  • 4.  RE: Learning through play

    Posted 06-29-2019 04:28 PM
    Play is spontaneous.  Play is creative.  Play comes from within the child. If an adult has decided ahead of time how the children will "play" and exactly what the children will learn from that "play," it's not real play.  If a child invites an adult into his or her play, and the adult follows the child's lead, that can be seen as real play. But the minute the adult starts directing the play, it is no longer play. There may be some value to it, but let's not call it play.

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    Cathy McAuliffe, PhD
    Early Childhood Coordinator
    NorthWest Arkansas Community College
    Bentonville, Arkansas
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  • 5.  RE: Learning through play

    Posted 06-30-2019 09:04 AM
    Cathleen:
    Thank you for this articulate statement.  I wish that all adults held to this definition of play!  



    Cathleen wrote:  Play is spontaneous.  Play is creative.  Play comes from within the child. If an adult has decided ahead of time how the children will "play" and exactly what the children will learn from that "play," it's not real play.  If a child invites an adult into his or her play, and the adult follows the child's lead, that can be seen as real play. But the minute the adult starts directing the play, it is no longer play. There may be some value to it, but let's not call it play.


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    Aren Stone
    Child Development Specialist
    The Early Years Project
    Cambridge, MA
    she/her
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  • 6.  RE: Learning through play

    Posted 06-30-2019 10:34 AM
    Cathleen, that is so true that when adults get involved with children's play and start directing it, it really is not 'play' in the true sense of the word.  It often shuts down the learning.  Similarly, parents or others who think we are just letting children play all day don't recognize all the work that goes into making it a learning experience.  It takes time and thought and planning to help the play be child-led while also allowing discovery, exploration, and learning to take place.

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    DeAnn Jones
    Co-Facilitator for the Family Child Care Interest Forum
    Discovery Place Child Care, LLC
    Bozeman, MT
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  • 7.  RE: Learning through play

    Posted 07-10-2019 05:09 AM
    Cathleen,

    I like and appreciate what you said. This is so true. Thank you for sharing it. We as adults tend to forget and want students to do it our way with creativity to grow or process.

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    Carolyn Pressley
    St Petersburg FL
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  • 8.  RE: Learning through play

    Posted 07-11-2019 06:34 AM
    Cathleen,

    What a powerful message you share here in your post.  Without the spontaneity and creativity on the part of the child, not the adult, we are left without the true definition of play.  I like to see these centers-based learning activities "playful" rather than "play". They hold value but I agree, they are not play in its true definition nor hold that values that comes with it. Thank you for posting.

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    Heather Ha
    PPPIF Facilitator
    Program Manager
    CHI St. Joseph Children's Health
    Lancaster, PA
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  • 9.  RE: Learning through play

    Posted 07-03-2019 10:17 AM
      |   view attached
    This is an article that I wrote in March of this year.

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    Cheryl M. Handy
    President
    POP Kids Gym
    Fort Pierce, FL
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    Attachment(s)

    docx
    C'mon Let's Play!.docx   15 KB 1 version


  • 10.  RE: Learning through play

    Posted 07-03-2019 12:06 PM
    Cheryl, that is a great article! In your line of work play is critical to helping children's progress.  Where was this published?  Is it on-line?  It would be great to get a link to it.

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    DeAnn Jones
    Co-Facilitator for the Family Child Care Interest Forum
    Discovery Place Child Care, LLC
    Bozeman, MT
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  • 11.  RE: Learning through play

    Posted 07-09-2019 11:01 AM
    Thanks DeAnn,
    I Published this article in a local children's resource publications "Bright Feat".  FAU Autism of the Treasure Coast has also asked that they be allowed to publish it in their newsletter.  Thanks for the positive feedback.

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    Cheryl M. Handy
    President
    POP Kids Gym
    Fort Pierce, FL
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  • 12.  RE: Learning through play

    Posted 07-11-2019 06:40 AM
    Cheryl,

    It is great to see the adoption of play throughout several field in their work with young children. Thank you for sharing a piece of your hard work with all of us!

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    Heather Ha
    PPPIF Facilitator
    Program Manager
    CHI St. Joseph Children's Health
    Lancaster, PA
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  • 13.  RE: Learning through play

    Posted 07-08-2019 12:38 PM
    These are all such great points! True that self-guided play isn't something we can truly plan as adults but providing a child with opportunities for varied play in a day is our responsibility - so it is possible to assist by simply allowing them the time, space, and materials to explore and learn. Perfect example is allowing outside play in safe environments, providing educational toys, etc. Absolutely love the ring counting and stump hopping ideas!

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    Heather Saunders
    Kontu Inc.
    Ancaster ON
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  • 14.  RE: Learning through play

    Posted 07-08-2019 06:13 PM
    Yes, PLAY is learning and gaining experiences for young children. We as adults have forgotten to PLAY!

    We, at our family child care home are fortunate to have spontaneous play whenever children want to.....trash truck sound and we all run outdoors - wave to the truck driver, watch the truck lift up the trash can-dump it, being put down on ground, truck moves ahead - same scenario till we can track the truck in our lane. This way children are learning to be social; language development - saying words, learning new words; learning about trash day - watching and understanding the process; honking of truck, lights flashing...all fun, fun, fun.......

    jagruti patel

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    Jagruti Patel
    Owner/Provider
    Patel Family Child Care
    Redlands CA
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