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Archives
Tag Archives: play
3 Ideas to Get Young Children Learning About and Playing with Food
By Molly Breen In early childhood education, we practitioners are very familiar with the importance of play—in all its many iterations. Play is social, connected, creative, and open-ended. It requires critical thinking and problem-solving, and it both signals and encourages … Continue reading
The Benefits of Messy Time
By Elizabeth Verdick, author of Messy Time When my daughter Olivia was a toddler, her best friend was Will, the two-year-old down the street. Will didn’t say much, so Olivia talked for both of them. He adored trains—his “choo-choos.” All … Continue reading
Posted in Early Childhood
Tagged early childhood development, Free Spirit author, play
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Rough-and-Tumble Play in Early Childhood Education
By Molly Breen How do you feel about wrestling? I mean it. How does it feel in your body when children in your group begin wrestling or play fighting? Does it stimulate your flight, fight, or freeze response? Can you … Continue reading
Posted in Early Childhood
Tagged early childhood education, play, preschool, social and emotional learning
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Purposeful Play: Connecting Play and Learning in Preschool
By Molly Breen “Play is serious learning,” quipped Fred Rogers famously. Vivian Gussin Paley devoted a lifetime of teaching and writing to the power of play, describing play as the work of childhood in recognition of its central role in … Continue reading
When the Weather Outside Is Frightful, Indoor Recess Can Be Delightful!
By Shannon Anderson, author of Penelope Perfect: A Tale of Perfectionism Gone Wild Many of us are already experiencing the cold, rain, and snow this time of year brings. And you know what that means . . . indoor recess! … Continue reading