Hello Friends,

My name is Kelsey and last year I was the intern here at Ferncliff. I have stayed on here at Ferncliff and have taken on new roles, one of them being an assistant teacher for the Nature Preschool. To the average eye the picture above may not look like much, but let’s break into our inner child and look at this picture from another perspective. At first glance it may just look like a bowl of rocks, but on that specific day some of the kiddo’s decided to make me a meal. The crate is a table for all of us to sit around. They gathered bowls and spoons for everyone and we shared a meal of rock soup.

As we pretended to eat our meal we talked about what we enjoyed about the day. This is the beauty of using one’s imagination and engaging in free play. When you hear the words ‘free play’ you may think, “What are the kids learning by just playing?”.  The answer is a lot.  In an article by Deborah J. Stewart, called The Power of Play in the Early Learning Environment, she answers this perfectly saying, “Learning through play is not about children wondering aimlessly around a room dumping baskets and throwing blocks. Instead, learning through play takes a carefully prepared environment that invites young children to explore, examine, question, predict, test, investigate, trial, error, and manipulate.”

One can recognize from our experience with the rock soup that the kids were learning about working together, as they all contributed something to make the soup. They practiced sharing as we sat around the table and everyone got a little bit of the soup they made in their bowl. By pouring water from one bowl to the next without spilling the kids were developing their motor skills.

It has been a joy watching these kiddo’s grow and learn over the past few months. Each day brings new forms of excitement and new teaching moments. One day you might see us on a hike naming all the colors we can find in the trees, the next day we may be looking at a spider we found and counting how many legs it has, or maybe, you can find us at the garden learning about how to care for animals. Let’s all embrace our imaginative side and learn to play again, because that bowl of rocks can be so much more.

If you would like to read more of the article, The Power of Play in the Early Learning Environment I will attach it below. It has a lot of great insight and activities that are powered by play.  We love having the Nature Preschool here at Ferncliff and if you would like to learn more about it, please visit our website at ferncliff.org.

Many Blessings,

Kelsey

http://www.teachpreschool.org/2012/07/the-power-of-play-in-the-learning-environment/