March 2024
This morning children had a dramatic play with Leila in our room. Since stacking and building blocks are still one of the highly sought exploratory in our program, we also observed children showing interest in encapsulating and enveloping, having dramatic play alongside! We noticed different patterns of interest in their solo play today. H and B were using their cognitive and creative skills to build and fix a trailer train from the Legos, they also found a statue of a man statue who runs the train! F, H and Ch were building a ‘kayak’ and a ‘paddleboat’ from the foam blocks and were having conversations about going on a kayak!
I wonder what made them think of the kayak suddenly? Is it the shape of the block that looks similar or it is the shift in the season as summer is coming? Or maybe they are aware of some conversation happening at home? We will find out soon!
It was impressive to watch them having solo dramatic play today, as it raised certain critical questions in our minds as an educator which in turn creates a firm base of learning with daily new challenges for the children.
Smriti Bhoray ECE BEd BA in special education, Don McMahon RECE