Play-Shops in the Classroom and the Home
Throughout the course of the past few weeks, I have been engaging in this blog from time to time, writing posts about what interests me in the field of early learning and technology. What I have found to be challenging is finding the best resources for early childhood educators AND parents. It is too often that I find an amazing activity or approach that falls under the classroom category.
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Until now! A few weeks ago in my Children and Technology class, we had explored the idea of Play-Shops and how children can create their own thinking through open ended materials. I say that this is one of the approaches that can be applied in the home, early learning centre and classroom because it is simply using materials in an open-ended manner and giving children the free reign to approach the situation in the way they want to.
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So, what is this amazing Play-Shop that I talk so highly about. Myself and a few classmates created a video showcasing exactly what children would be doing (be prepared, we do act like children in this video, and it was extremely unprofessional…and fun!)
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In our video we showcase just how easy (yet effective) a Play-Shop would be in a home or classroom. The beauty about this activity is that it’s continuous yet ever-changing as the materials are always being rotated in the area. Children get used to working with materials that are constantly surrounding them, but this Play-Shop will give them the freedom and open-mind to view those materials in a different way.
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A very common area in any classroom (and in many homes) is the dramatic play area; full equipped with costumes and common “everyday objects” that children can use in exploration. Like a dramatic play area, this Play-Shop will allow children to create stories, concepts and ideas with the materials around them. In the video linked previously, we made appoint to add in our area for a script and stage for the children using it to not only create a story or “theatrical play” BUT to also create a script that goes along side it. This giving them the opportunity to explore not only through the dramatic play but through the use of literacy.
So go ahead and try it! Whether you are an educator, caregiver, parent, grandparent, babysitter or sibling; set up some materials that are commonly found in the house or classroom and place them together in one area. Like all other things in the world, once children get ahold of it, it is given a whole new meaning!
Comment below if you have tried this! Was it engaging?
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Julia
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