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| Social Interactions |
Noticing
the weather changing from summer to autumn, with sunny mornings becoming chilly
and misty, our toddlers have felt the cold and have started to spend more time
inside engaged in activities. The children love play dough. Each week a new batch
is made with their help, choosing the colours, mixing, pouring and measuring;
all which have a scientific and mathematic contribution to their learning development.
Each time this is set out, the materials used are changed to suit the
children’s interest. This is seen as a challenging way for the children to
create many ways play dough can be manipulated.
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| Investigating the material |
“The soft consistency of play
dough and its soothing texture aids social play” (Somerset, 2000). Some of the
values children contend with play dough are, extending the use of familiar
material, exploring the texture, experimenting, developing co-ordination of the
eye and hand. During this time I observed the children and the so many
different ways they engaged with it. Majority of the time was them mimicking
each other; because one child was making ‘spaghetti’ the rest of the children
were, or rolling the dough out for pizza, making a transformer and so forth. “Children
learn from other children. By interacting with their peers, infants and
toddlers learn much about the world, their power in it, and their effect on
others” (Gonzalez-Mena, 2009).
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| Spaghetti |
I noticed one child on her own quietly playing,
I asked what she was doing, she replied “cookies for mummy” I continued to
watch as she rolled the dough out, used the cookie cutter and placed each cut
on the side to go into the oven to be baked. “Children develop the knowledge that
playing with ideas and materials, with no objective in mind, can be an
enjoyable, creative and valid and approach to learning” (Ministry of Education,
1996).
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| "Cookies for mummy" |
This
evidently shows the concept of ‘baking’ which most likely was formed in the
home and the continuation of the idea in the centre by us teachers. It also
allows children to bring to life their creativity and imagination through this
non technology interaction of play. In addition to this, some special values of
play dough becomes an aid in forming social groups, a means of dramatising and
an aid to identifying with adults work (Somerset, 2000). A lot of this was seen
amongst the children’s observations.
In
extension of the child’s concepts of baking which was also convenient and
aligned with dramatic play, the children made some traditional Indian bread
with one of the other teachers. The children helped combine the mixture, spoon
each mixture into the electric pan and helped flip it with hands on supervision
at all times. They really enjoyed this experience and play dough time after
that reflected their realization of events they encountered during the real
life take of it.
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| Reality concepts |
I noticed now that their play was more refined with the baking
experience, they were more aware of how to do things with the play dough, it
had purpose. “Through the kinds of problem solving situations that present
themselves in child-child interactions, youngsters come to learn such valuable
skills as how to resolve conflicts” (Gonzalez-Mena, 2009).
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| Exploring the texture |
Through
this activity with the children I have learnt how much of a contribution it has
to them socially, mentally and physically. It encourages friendships,
child-child interactions, problem solving, creativity and making the connection
of ideas to visual result.
References:
Ministry
of Education. (1996). Te whariki, he
whariki matauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum.
Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Gonzalez-Mena,
J., & Eyer, D.W. (2009). Infant,
toddlers, and caregivers: A
curriculum or respectful responsive care and education (8th ed.).
boston, MA: McGrawHill Higher Education.
Somerset,
G. (2000). Work and Play in the early
years. Auckland, New Zealand, New Zealand Play centre Federation.
I really like the fact that you involve children in the process of making play dough rather than just making it for them. Getting children involved in the making process makes it more meaningful and gives children the sense of accomplishment once they finish making it (Gonzalez-Mena, 2008). While making the play dough children can learn different textures, such as dry, wet and sticky. Children also learn science and maths concept as they see the changes occurring as you mix flour, water and oil together (Johnston, 2011).
ReplyDeletePlay dough provides lots of opportunities for children to play alongside and with each other which is also a part of Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education, 1996). As you mentioned, majority of the time children play together by mimicking each other and getting into individual roles. Therefore playing with play-dough can be used as a tool for facilitating children’s social play; however you have to frequently observe the play dough area to ensure that it’s not getting overcrowded (Somerset, 2000).
Hi Megan, it is greet to see that you are making use of the weather in implementing an indoor activity that is creative and fun for the children to play in. I believe that is a great way of keeping children entertained by playing with the play dough. I like the idea of how you link it to mathematics and science because I agree with you and I do believe that children learn extra skills by playing with the play though and discovering fun experiments that can be incorporated into play dough making (Graham, 1997). I also like how you worked together with the children in cooking a real life meal of the Indian bread. I believe that you have given children an opportunity to be able to compare the differences between fantasy and reality. This aids in children’s development as they are in the process of learning and growing (Ministry of Education, 1996).
ReplyDeleteI believe play dough is using in every centre, because it promotes children a soothing and a very satisfying experience, and this experience provide children so many areas of learning and development. As this experience can advances children’s social development and physical development. Such as playing alongside or with others, develop the ability and confidence to interact with others, increasing control over their body movements (Beaver, Brewster, Green, Neaum, Sheppard, Tallack, & Walker 2008).
ReplyDeleteI agree with Komal’s idea, you should involve children and teach children how to make play dough rather than make it for them. This participation provides children a sensory experience to develop their skills. As Te Whaariki states children develop the knowledge to try things out, exploration and curiosity are important and valued ways of learning when they experience an environment where the importance of spontaneous play is recognized (Ministry of Education, 1996).
Overall, I believe play dough invites children to engage in meaningful and creative play, it also promote teachers ways of seeing children’s unique strengths, needs and interests so as to build a solid foundation for future schooling (Swartz, 2005).
Play dough is the perfect resources for soothing and problem solving for children for example children exercises their hands in patting, moulding, rolling and slicing.It also provide a lots a learning tools such as counting after cutting and sorting.It is interesting how you identify the seasons especially the children engaged with playdough in groups involve interaction and sharing ideas on questions. What makes the play dough soft and colourful,and who will make the best meatball for lunch.In our centre we used to make play dough with the children and we used the questions to allow children quickly participate in play dough.At the moment we not allowed any play dough at all because there were children are allergic to food colouring and it is not fair for other children. Children missed out on learning especially math concepts,as they see the changes occur as you mix flour with water and oil and food colouring together(Johnston,2011).
ReplyDelete