Historias del Juego: LET THEM PLAY!

My afternoon class is, in a word, tremenda. (Es un salón de diéciseis niños de tres añitos.) There are hitters and screamers and biters, and about four classroom-circuit sprinters. For storytime circle, I divide the class into two or three homogeneous groupings and pull them during play time. Whole group is... well, it's utter chaos. As there are at least three children who need one-on-one assistance at any given time, it's simply not tenable. (A whole other post is how I am trying to stop imposing my prideful adult will of "what they should do" onto them; they are showing me very clearly where they are, and how they work best. )

The one time we do a full storytime + activity circle a week is when we have our fabulous SLP and OT in the class with us for half an hour. With four adults, it's almost close to manageable. A couple of weeks ago, after such a circle of kids rolling around and chewing on their shoes and jumping on chairs, we went outside and then came in for centers play.

And this selfsame group of kids transformed. Esos traviesos se transformaron. I took the following pictures within seven minutes. (Please marvel at their sophistication of play, their wonderful imaginations, and my ability to avoid faces.)

V. was pretending to text with an old cellphone. She also was singing to her baby, whom I helped 'swaddle' in a ripped skirt. She later joined friends at the table and they had a tea party with plastic sandwiches and very real water.

These two boys, B. & Y., were doing what they do every choice time -- engaging in elaborate dollhouse play. The dolls have names, go about their day (including fighting frequently with large snakes who invade their parlor), and they have excellent interior design skills.

Here are the magnatile engineers! There were steeples and hexagons and six-pointed stars; when the afternoon sun pours through the window, the students watch how the light seeps through the colored shapes.

Here are two of my girls, Y. and A., listening to New Mexican music and dancing up a storm. Y. has a pirate vest and top on, A. has Princess Jasmine pants and a bouquet of poppies, and they are dipping and swinging each other.

X. is quite the artist. Making Valentines was so popular that I left a bin of hearts and stickers, and they're still in heavy rotation. Note especially the pre-writing at the top and the beveled edges. 

And last, but certainly not least, here are my entomologists! X. and D. As they reported: "Somos esposos y estamos estudiando estos insectitos y arañas."







This is how kids learn. Full stop.
Así aprenden los niños. Y ya.

Types of play: all 16. (exceptions perhaps for Mastery Play and Deep Play)

Hasta pronto ~