Imaginative Play: Robots

evlachsblog (59)in #steemiteducation • 6 years ago (edited)

As a Preschool Teacher/Educator, it is very important that I observe children how they engage themselves in a play-based experience and ensure that such observations are documented, so I will be able to plan a program of activities to extend the children's current interests, skills, and abilities.

Some parents think that all their children do is play, but what they don't realise is that whilst they are playing, they are also developing their cognitive, social, emotional, and physical wellbeing. These documented observations give the parents and other educators a picture of how the children progress in all aspects of their learning.

Here is one example of an observation I made at our Early Learning Centre:

Imaginative Play: Robots

Jamie and Malcolm engaged themselves in an imaginative play of Robots. Malcolm used a curved wooden block as a remote control and pretended that he was controlling Jamie. However, Malcolm was giving Jamie some tasks that would make the latter make a mess and be frenzied all around the classroom.

So I made a choice to interfere and not just be a silent observer in the background. I suggested to Malcolm that maybe he could make his Robot build something out of the wooden blocks. Malcolm pressed his remote control and Jamie responded in a robotic voice and said, "I will build a tower!" Jamie instantly obeyed the command and carefully placed the blocks on top of each other to make a tower. At this stage, Malcolm had already shifted his focus to "controlling" his other friends.

Meanwhile, Jamie concentrated in completing the "fourth level" of his tower. He briefly forgot that he was in a "robot mode" and exclaimed in a normal voice, "It's as tall as me!" He stood close to his tower and measured himself against the blocks.

In this pretend-play experience, Jamie demonstrated enthusiasm and persistence to perform a given task. He responded positively to his peer and listened to instructions. He applied the concept of measurement by using an object to determine how tall he was compared to his blocks tower.