16/10/2022
The magic of child led learning
Imagine an early education program based not on an inflexible, predetermined curriculum, but on a child’s actual interests.
Although generally Halloween isn’t something I would program for I have several preschool children obsessed with all things Halloween! It’s my role to provide them with a rich learning environment based on their interests and things they love..
But what will they while potion making?
It fosters creativity and imagination, and helps to develop gross motor skills and hand-eye coordination, such as mixing, scooping, pouring and grinding. Potion play also allows children to strengthen their emotional responses, encourage cooperation and helps to create empathy.
What will they learn by wrapping mummies?
This encourages fine motor skills by ripping the tape and enhances concentration and imagination.
What will they learn participating in art and craft?
Engaging in Art n Craft experiences benefits all aspects of children's development. Children, who cannot express what they feel and think and how they view their world in worlds, may be able to do so more readily through art.
Enables children to assert individuality (drawing a pumpkin that is different in colour and design).
Assists children to express feelings (selecting bright colours for a painting to match a playful mood).
Develops an understanding of cause and effect (observing what happens when blue paint is added to yellow).
Creates the ability to label shapes and objects (painting a yellow circle and calling it a sun).
Helps develop planning skills (determining which colour finger paint to assemble before starting work).
Provides opportunities for children to learn directionality (painting a circle with one continuous brush stroke).
Continues to develop fine motor skills.
What will they learn by participating in sensory play?
Through touch, smell, hear, seeing and tasting it contributes to a child’s overall learning. When exploring through sensory play children will also begin to classify objects based on different textures, which is an important part of learning.
Children develop cognitive skills such as problem solving and decision making.
Begin to understand mathematical concepts such as comparing sizes, counting, one to one correspondence, sorting and classifying.
Introduced to basic science skills such as cause and effect.
Start to make predictions and observations.
Encourages children to use descriptive and expressive language.
Children learn about co-operation and collaboration.
Hand /eye co-ordination and small muscle movements develop.
Supports children’s creativity and builds self-esteem.
Sensory play enables children the opportunity to investigate materials with no pre conceived knowledge through the use of their senses.
Sensory play facilitates exploration and naturally encourages children to use scientific processes while they play, create, investigate and explore. Spending time stimulating their senses helps children develop cognitively, linguistically, socially and emotionally, physically and creatively.
See…. All this learning by having fun! Throwing some spiders, pumpkins, bats and ghosts into the mix!? Why not
