Close observation of children at play suggests that they find out about the world in thesame way as scientists find out about new phenonoma and test new ideas. Youngchildren may not be able to verbalize new ideas forming in their heads, but they may stillapply similar processes to scientists. During this exploration, all the senses are used to observe and draw conclusions about objects and events through simple, if crude, scientific investigations.–Judith Roden, Lecturer, Canterbury Christ Church University College
I love craft books. I reviewed a really good one and interviewed Marie LeBaron about Make and Takes for kids.
The problem with seeing crafts is that often we love them so much we want to repeat them. Nothing wrong with that; though it depends on how much we repeat and how we use them to inspire.
So in the last few days we’ve managed to get a huge list of places to find quality play activities and found a way to filter our choices for our family. Today the focus is on the type of activities we do.
Children thrive on following their own agenda within safe boundaries. As the gatekeepers, we need to give them adequate opportunities to fail at making things. So they learn to try and try again. Process play is the type of play with endless opportunities and avenues. Some children it paralyses them and you hear
Is this okay?
Is this right? Can I do this? What do you think of this?
Some children run with it and you almost don’t see them for ages as they explore their play experience.
But most at sometime or other need to be guided through process play.
Make 2012 your year to try more process play ( especially if you’ve noticed you’ve done a lot of product based play)
Here are some ebooks to get to started
Treasure basket play provides the answer to the question What do you do with this active, sensory seeking baby who puts everything in his mouth and his attention span is very short?
The Everyday alphabet activities ebook provides the go to solution for wriggly jiggly children who want to craft and play with activities that focus on the process. They can make that letter over and over again with practice, ease and fun acquiring the confidence and maintaining the fun of education through all different types of sensory mediums
Cathy of Nurturestore.co.uk shares lot of play ideas and this one is heavily focuses on process play with playdough.
A challenge to play more hands on with your kids from Hands on as you grow: Imagination Tree
Practical process play ideas
My child won’t do craft activities- what now?
Operation Playtime- come join in! 20th January 2009
What is your go to process activity?
Click here to read the rest of the posts in the series, 31 Days to a more Playful Tot.
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