“To learn more about Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy and the Greenway in Boston that bears her name, and to see an animated digital storybook version of Rose’s Garden, go to http://www.rosekennedygreenway.org”
Tag Archives: family
Story Time!
I hope you liked this one! Gosh I bet you are all missing your grandmas (grandpas too)…maybe you could give them a call or do a video chat…
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Daily Story…day 8
This is a zipper story I made up years and years ago! It’s so much fun because you can insert anyone’s names into it. I used to include things that happened in the classroom on the day I told the story. Give it a try-the kids will get a kick out of it!
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Daily Story day 5
Please visit The Vermont Book Shop for more titles!
Again, thank you to Pippin Properties for allowing me to read and record this story, and Peter H. Reynolds for being willing to share his work.
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Daily Story…day 4
The Vermont Book Shop is a great place to find more stories by Ashley Wolff!
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Daily Story…day 3
Ashley Wolff graciously allowed me to record and share this story with all of you. You can find her books at The Vermont Bookshop!
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Messy Play: not just for fun!
I used to detest messes…still do in my mommy brain. My teacher brain loves it though! The value in it is limitless and cannot be missed. Clothes and hands can be washed. The house will get messy too, but with a little planning, you can minimize any lasting effects.
Fun is always important, after all, it makes learning meaningful to children and facilitates deeper connections. But why is messy play so important? It is essential to brain development! Every time a child touches wet paint or squishy goo, new connections are forming in the brain. The stimulation provided by a mud pie or runny oobleck can’t be replicated by a computer game, flash cards, or stories. The act of skin coming in contact with tactile discovery stimulates new connections and learning.
Children learn through their senses, and all areas of learning are impacted. In my experience, the more messy play children get to do, the more relaxed they are. They are also more flexible in routines and quite creative in their thinking.
Here are some tips that may help you in your messy play adventures:
- Take it outdoors
- Get a vinyl tablecloth and tape it to the floor to contain the mess
- Provide clear expectations for the children’s messy play
- Use simple materials like snow, water, ice
- Plan ahead to make sure you have enough materials for the number of children you have
- Get in there and get messy! It’s more fun than trying to stay tidy and clean
Try this Simple Slime Recipe for lots of fun that’s edible and not sticky!
Enjoy!
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What’s the big deal with play?
So I’m attending my annual conference and I finally have time to write. Sorry it’s been so long, though thankfully I have lots of renewed energy tonight so let’s talk about play. It’s such a popular word in early education these days, but what are they all talking about? Isn’t just about kids using toys?
No it’s not, it’s much much more. It’s the sun, the moon, and the stars in the sky. It’s the method by which children are living their lives, their anchor, their work. The definition of play in our field is usually described in a paragraph with so many terms and variations. The common threads are enjoyment, participation and engagement.
Different types of play occur throughout a child’s development. There’s no schedule or order, no wrong or right, though some patterns exist. There are natural shifts in the kind of play as children’s environment, community, and minds take shape.
- Solitary: a child plays alone
- Parallel: a child plays alongside another child without interaction
- Cooperative: children interact as they work toward a goal
- Symbolic: a child uses one object to represent another
- Sociodramatic: pretend play in which a child takes on a role
- Games with rules: children follow guidelines dictated by an established game
- Mature: a child will dive deeply into their play, staying with it for an extended period of time
Please keep in mind that each type of play serves a purpose, and has its own value. For example, a child who pretends a ball is an apple will later be better equipped to visually represent quantity. A child taking on a role is learning to self-regulate, practicing self-control.
I’m interested in hearing what children say when asked, “what is play?” You probably wouldn’t hear words like problem-solving, achievement, creativity, imagination, identity, or persistence. But if you observe carefully, you’ll see these qualities and more. And they make for amazing adults; adults which will one day take care of us, our planet, and the children to come. So next time you think play might just be a simple word with little meaning, think of all that is gained from it.
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Adventure Playgrounds
What is an adventure playground anyway? Well, it looks a little like a junkyard, with lots of loose parts. I recently attended a screening of “The Land” by Erin Davis. This event was put together by a local group, MUD, encouraging discussions in our community. It explores the concept of an adventure playground in Wales.Click here for Erin Davis interview.
The idea is that children are free to take risks with a variety of materials and experiences, with limited guidance. Play workers are there to remove hazards, but offer no interference or intervention unless there is a request or hazard. (A hazard refers to something that the children are unaware of like broken glass or nails).
After the film, there was a bit of discussion about this concept and how to make it work here. One of the questions that came up was how to circumvent legal issues that could arise. The panel answered this by saying that the adventure playgrounds in use are offered primarily to children age 6-11. There are fewer rules and restrictions in this age group. A fence with a lock is also traditionally included so that play workers are there to prevent hazards from harming the children, and to encourage risk taking in a physically and emotionally safe space.
A large portion of the audience were families, and while there were a lot of great conversations among parents, the early educator perspective was not present. That’s why I’m writing this…I have something to say as always.
We want to encourage risk-taking too. Unfortunately, we have state regulations and insurance liability to worry about. I’m speaking mostly as a home provider, because if our insurance company doesn’t like our space or practices, they will drop us as clients-not just the childcare policies, but home and auto as well. So that means no fires, no water deeper than 24″, and no heights greater than 36″. That’s just to please my insurance company, the state regulations aren’t as tough, but no standing water, all sand covered when not in use…so basically our play space has to be picked up every afternoon.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t adopt some basic concepts of the adventure playground: risks are encouraged with minimal redirection and interference, loose parts are offered, and children are able to experience and witness disappointment, failures, achievements, and successes.
What do they gain from this type of play?
Freedom in their play
Ownership and pride
A deeper sense of self
Rich social environment
To be challenged everyday
Become better problem solvers
Children develop resilience factors
So think about your experiences with playgrounds in the future, and maybe adjust your thinking a little. Children are capable of so much, let’s see how far they can go! And as always, I welcome your comments!
Buy a T-shirt to support my play area
For more MUD events, click here
Click here to see a recent article about adventure playgrounds
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When I was in college…
So when I was a college student, I worked three and four jobs to pay my tuition and buy my own books. I had student loans aplenty and even a small scholarship. I chose a private catholic women’s college close to home, though I’m not catholic. But I felt like it was a great place to figure out who I was and still have a safety net.
And I did find my niche in the world, at least started the journey. It was a place to deepen friendships and learn my strengths. But after my second year, I started getting letters in the mail from my college asking to donate to their endowment. I was shocked and ticked off-I was already working my butt off trying to pay for school and they wanted me to give them more?! I didn’t get it, why would anyone give money back to their school when we’ve just spent a fortune to go there?
Five years after I graduated, my college closed it’s doors forever. I attended the last commencement which was a bittersweet occasion for all.
So while their timing stunk, I finally understood why I was receiving letters asking for money…my college was $14 million in the hole and they were grasping at straws.
The message here: if we want something great to continue, we all have to do our part to support it. That doesn’t necessarily mean financially, though that is often what is needed most. Sharing the mission and stories and memories of an organization, school, or club can accomplish so much as well.
And while yes, I’m in the midst of a fundraiser, that I will shamelessly plug right here, this post has been on my mind for awhile. And yes, I would love your support, but this post speaks to anything in your life that you care about whether it is your local church or your child’s soccer team, your local fire department or your favorite non-profit. We all have to work together to make sure they continue at the high level we have come to expect.
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JenniferCyrFamilyChildCare 