Play!

Don't children come to school and just play all day? How do they learn if all they do is play?

The answer is yes, children come to school on a daily basis to play and learn. While many of you only see your children playing, we preschool teachers see beyond the play and see you children develop skills that they hadn't before, acquire interests that encourage their development, and so much more. Children learn best during well thought out and planned learning activities that include the children playing. The children can play freely and still learn. Though you may be doubting that statement, it is true. Playing freely can help develop children's social and emotional development through various forms of play. This is where our job as a preschool teacher comes into action. In order for your child's learning experience through play to be effective, it is important that we preschool teachers encourage our children through playing in the classroom, encourage peer interaction, initiate the play, ask open ended questions, and even take the time to play with the children. Implementing these skills into your child's play encourages them to play and learn, and also gives preschool teachers the opportunity to learn more about the students.

Play can also be planned for through various activities utilizing many materials in which can help reach the child's growth and developmental goals and needs. I enjoy initiating play with my students by creating fun and engaging busy books relating to a specific theme that we are discussing in the classroom. Many of these activities provided through a busy binder help the children reach many developmental goals and children achieve becoming better learners while the children play and engage with the activities.

Implementing play based activities in the classroom was a learning process for me, in which I truly enjoy doing now to the best of my ability. Providing play based activities encourages the children to play while learning. Many of times, the children do not know that they are actually learning while playing, but that is when we teachers take the time to continue encouraging the play, ask questions, and observe the children to make sure they are receiving their most optimal learning experience through a play based activity.

Playing in preschool occurs throughout most of a childs time at the center. Children follow a schedule in their classroom to create structure and routine, in which helps with the learning experiences of their surrounding. Follow a schedule also sets the children for future learning experiences, in which they will be well prepared for. Following these schedules gives children the opportunity to explore, discover, create, and most of all play. Playing throughout a child's learning environment will give them the opportunity to grow in many aspects of their development. Though you may see a classroom schedule in which entails that the children are at small group time or center times, the children are actually utilizing their scheduled time to learn and engage through play based activities that are articulated through planned out activities that focuses on many learning standards and developmental goals. Creating these play opportunities and experiences will give children the best learning environment in which children will feel comfortable and confident to play and continue promoting their optimal growth.

So why do children play all day in preschool? Because it is a vital aspect of their developmental growth that we Early Childhood Educators implement through guidance and interaction for the best of a child's learning experience. Play is crucial and vital for each child's optimal growth.

So make sure your child gets to play! Whether at home or in their preschool setting, remember it is an important aspect of their growth, therefore we must encourage and support your child's play.