The children in our care LOVE to play with the parachute!
Welcome to the weekly "Just Playing?" Blog Hop hosted here at Child Central Station. This is our second week hopping and discussing our observations of the learning happening when children are at play. For more information about this hop and how to join, visit the "Just Playing" landing page.
Last week, I shared some photos of the children building a train out of chairs. I have updated the post to include some additional insights into the play- you can read that updated post here.
Now- on to this week......
We may be "just playing", but....
What are the children doing here?
What do you see?
What learning is taking place?
What skills are being practiced/developed?
Thank you for remembering that young children do not "just play." Young children play. They develop through play. They learn through play. They experiment through play. They grow through play. A child's work is play. Play is important!
Please take a moment to reflect upon the photos and questions above. I would love for you to share your observations in a comment. I'd also like to invite you to "hop" on over to all of the other bloggers who are sharing photos of children learning through play this week:
If you are looking for more of our “Just Playing?” posts and resources from around the globe, please visit our Pinterest Board.
Are you a blogger? Would you like to join the JUST PLAYING? blog hop community?
You can join the hop via our Facebook Group: Just Playing?
or please contact Amy from Child Central Station for more information.
5 comments:
Amy
There is almost nothing better than parachute play - colors in a big wheel and then hiding in some form or another. Group play with parachutes looks exciting, promoting a visual interest that is fairly unique in that the parachute flies or floats. The children seem highly engaged and motivated to hold, as well as be under, the parachute!
We love our parachute and use it frequently! In the first photo, the children are discovering wind and how the parachute creates resistance in the air. In the next, the children are discovering how it covers their bodies when it comes down. I can imagine how they are giggling as they find their friends and uncover them! Further down, it looks like the are discovering the soft, silky texture of the parachute. And last, how many friends can fit under the parachute? Can we move the parachute as we lay on the floor? So many great opportunities for learning about wind, spatial relations, sensory inputs and textures, all with lots of large motor work!
Cooperation. Sharing space. Using their big muscles. Experimenting with the push and pull of the air.
There's nothing like a parachute for bringing out the giggles! These kids are learning to work together and using those arm muscles to lift it up and down. Love how they're hiding under it too!
In addition to the observations in the comments above, I'd say that the experience in the parachute photos provides these children with an opportunity to put to work their self-regulation skills and their ability to read social cues.
An activity like parachute play requires so much cooperative effort that the children are challenged to remain aware of their own excitement, frustration, disappointment, etc...as well as that of the other children playing with them.
I see social muscles being exercised!
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