Even after a full day of "school" where they play and learn and move almost constantly, they aren't done. Every afternoon on the way home, my boys ask to stop at one of our local playgrounds. Most days, we're happy to grant their wishes. It's a great way for them to burn off some energy before dinner and wind-down time; it's a great way for us to spend some time together, and it's a great way to sneak a few more lessons into the day.
Learning through play is what their little bodies were made to do, so that's what we do!
Everyday Lessons
There's problem solving: I want to climb up and over this rope net, but I can't reach to go the most obvious way. Is there another way I can go? I want to get to the top of this pretend tree, how do I get there?There's team work, turn-taking and sharing: We both want to play on this piece of playground equipment, how can we both feel happy? I can't turn the merry-go-around by myself, but if two or three of us work together, it will turn. You can ride for a while, then we'll switch. Let's play tag!
There are endless opportunities for signs to be used: HELP, MORE, ALL-DONE, SIT, SWING, and SLIDE are part of every trip. Sometimes we talk about colors or counting. Occasionally, we have to use GENTLE and I'M-SORRY, too.Occasional Bonus Lessons
It doesn't happen during every trip, but every now and again, we get the chance to build on science lessons the boys have encountered though school. Our daycare has a visit each week from a *fabulous* teacher who focuses on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) topics. It's always great when we can make connections between her lessons and our lives!
Sometimes we see local wildlife like geese or bunny rabbits or birds. Then we can talk about what they are, what they're doing, what they like to eat, where they live, etc.
One of our favorite playgrounds has a fishing pond. Both boys enjoy wandering along the edge and out onto the dock (under very close supervision!) where they can see fish in the water, algae on top, and lots of empty snail shells stuck in the muddy bank.
Every once in a while, we discover something even more exciting. On one recent trip we saw an empty SNAKE skin floating on the pond. Daddy reached it out with a stick and the boys got to examine it.
Daddy added to their observations by pointing out where the eyes were, explaining how the snake had grown and shed its skin, and reassuring a nervous preschooler that it was definitely NOT a live snake. (All the same, I was perfectly happy to stand apart from the group to take pictures!)
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| SNAKE - Mr. L. at 30 months |
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| SNAKE |
We use the playground as our physical education class in our homeschool studies! It is a great way to run around, laugh, play and get some exercise. Science lessons at the playground are awesome though; I definitely agree! Thanks for sharing these fun pictures and lessons with #SocialButterflySunday! Hope to see you link up again this week :)
ReplyDeleteWe get plenty of conventional playground use in too...I wish I could bottle their energy! See you next week!
DeleteLove the season of life you are in! I remember there was such wonder and excitement and discovery gleaned through the eyes of mine when they were little. Thanks for sharing your story, lessons and the reminder that we are always to approach God "as a little child."
ReplyDeleteSeeing them explore and wonder at new things is definitely a blessing! Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteMy kids love sand activities. Although, I don't like the public sand boxes. We make a sand box at home and do fun activities that way. It's great how you incorporate sign throughout your day.
ReplyDeleteWe also made one at home - using a big Rubbermaid bucket. Their favorite use right now is to have me burry some dinosaur toys to be found. The biggest benefits of signing definitely come from being able to use them any time any where - one of the many reasons I love Signing Smart!
DeleteThank you for stopping by the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop and sharing your fun playground activities with all of us! My girls love going and we always find ways of turning it into a lesson of some way. Have a wonderful weekend and I hope to see you on Monday again!
ReplyDeleteI love that as young as my boys are, they are so interested in investigating and learning about the world around them. I think the best lessons are those they initiate and are really invested in. I'm sure the next time they see a snake skin, they'll be excited to tell all about it! Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteSounds like you had great fun, the pictures look ace, wish i thought of things like this when we go out and about x
ReplyDeleteMost of the time, there is nothing pre-planned about our adventures. I like to follow their interests as much as possible, and take advantage of what sparks their curiosity. In this case it was lucky that Daddy was with us - the water's edge makes me SO nervous, and there was no way I wanted to touch that snake skin....or find the snake who had shed it! Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteLove this post. Learning through play is so important and the playground is super for this! Our trips to the beach normally end up a learning experience too with lots of interesting finds and observations. Maybe it's being a teacher? I can't pass up a learning opportunity. Thanks for linking up with #fbfriday
ReplyDeleteMy education background probably is an influence on my boys too...I definitely know what you mean by not letting the teachable moment pass by! Most of the time, though, I just capitalize on whatever sparks their interest. I'm blessed to have two smart and curious boys - even when I roll my eyes at the 1,000th question! Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteGreat post! There is a wealth of research out there to support the benefits of children's play. Thanks for sharing this at the Weekend Blog Hop at My Flagstaff Home!
ReplyDeleteJennifer
Absolutely - that's one of the reasons we chose our daycare - they almost never have a formal lesson. Everything is learned through play and exploration. The director once commented on how they have very few traditional toys for the kids to play with - lots and lots of things kids see as toys, but are really learning tools. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteLooks like you guys take advantage of every opportunity for a lesson! Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty - hope to see back again next week!
ReplyDeleteThese lessons are almost never planned, but I definitely take advantage of whatever pops up. I hope that my boys, more than anything, will take away the lesson that there is wonder all around us, and we should always be open to learning something new - no matter where we are! Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteWhat amazing playgrounds you have. I really need to take note from this post and try putting the sings we know into our everyday so much more.
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up with Small Steps Amazing Achievements :0)
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We are definitely lucky to have a variety of great playgrounds in our area. We get snow sometimes from October until April, so we take advantage of exploring them while we can! One of the beautiful things about Signing Smart is that it teaches so much more than vocabulary, including lots of tools and strategies for making signs a part of your daily doings! Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteOh how I miss the days of playground activities! As a friend told me years ago, "Always seize a teaching moment"!
ReplyDeleteWe definitely don't let many moments pass us by - right now both boys are so interested in all their exploring and findings, there isn't much convincing required to make the moment teachable. Thanks for stopping by!
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