Still playing

 

You might recall hearing about the importance of play when your child was in EC (if not, here's a quick refresher). It's something our Kindergarten teachers place a lot of value on for lots of good reasons. Its importance never really goes away, even for us adults, but making time for play comes in different ways in grade school. Activities like Game and Tell give students a big healthy dose of play and all the wonderful social, mental, and emotional aspects that we get to work during play too.

 

    

  

    

Working to understand new rules, negotiating, compromise,  the challenges of things going your way, the challenges of things not going your way, interpersonal relationship shifts, appreciation of another's efforts, wanting your efforts appreciated ... these are all experiences adults have to manage on a weekly basis. But practice for these life happenings is harder to construct. In the early years, children would follow behind you sweeping as you sweep, eager to wash dishes, and so excited to feed the dog, everything mundane becoming a game they imitated with their peers outside or around the house. Their life was play. Now life is broader, it offers new aspects.

These growing children are hungry to learn in less imitative ways now, which we meet during specialties and morning lessons... and yet they still want to practice playing with more grownup behaviors. So yes, let's offer that too.

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Puzzles have been a daily staple in second grade and recently the class completed a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle they've been working on since the fall. Over the past month, students focused on the most difficult part; finding a handful of pieces each day until finally, the end was in sight last Friday. Everyone gathered round to see the last piece placed and a great cheer filled the room. Pure satisfaction!