Toys and Games
The Toys and Games area offers children the chance explore how things work, learn math concepts, experience teamwork, and strengthen their fine motor skills. This area is full of puzzles, table blocks, sorting materials, board games, and collections of objects.
Just as in the other areas, I ask children to talk about what they are doing in the center. This is a great strategy to help them improve their language skills. Open-ended questions (What did you do to those pieces to get them to make that shape? Why did you put all of these pieces here and those pieces there?) are the best way to get them to use new and old vocabulary to explain themselves.
Ideas for Home:
By providing appropriate toys and games for your child, you play an important role in the growth of your child's abilities. Research shows that children with parents who are actively involved in their play are more likely to be capable of creative solutions to problems.
The Creative Curriculum (2002) offers the following ways for you to be involved in your child's play:
Dodge, Diane T., Colker, Laura J., Heroman, Cate. (2002). The Creative Curriculum.
Washington DC: Teaching Strategies Inc.
Just as in the other areas, I ask children to talk about what they are doing in the center. This is a great strategy to help them improve their language skills. Open-ended questions (What did you do to those pieces to get them to make that shape? Why did you put all of these pieces here and those pieces there?) are the best way to get them to use new and old vocabulary to explain themselves.
Ideas for Home:
By providing appropriate toys and games for your child, you play an important role in the growth of your child's abilities. Research shows that children with parents who are actively involved in their play are more likely to be capable of creative solutions to problems.
The Creative Curriculum (2002) offers the following ways for you to be involved in your child's play:
Keep in mind that the toys you provide your child do not have to be expensive. Collections of buttons and bottle caps can be learning tools that are as effective as store-bought toys.
- Observe. Watch as your child plays and notice his abilities and his interests.
- Play. Follow your child's lead and join in his play.
- Imagine. Keep in mind that there's more than one way to play with a toy. Be creative!
- Enjoy. This isn't a time to drill your child or test him on what he knows. Just have fun being together, talking, and playing. (p. 315)
Dodge, Diane T., Colker, Laura J., Heroman, Cate. (2002). The Creative Curriculum.
Washington DC: Teaching Strategies Inc.
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