2010 notes 4

Using field trips. Make sure that on these trips, children are able to observe at least four or five different roles that can be acted out in dramatic play.

Expanding Play ThemesChildren tend to act out familiar themes. This is why they might play family over and over again or stick to aggressive television/video themes. Children may not know how to play fire station, grocery store, or beauty salon

Planning For Play

Because of its open-ended nature, play often causes more arguments among children than other activities. Most of the time, these arguments are not caused by children's aggression but rather by their lack of knowledge about roles and rules of a specific play scenario. When children are tugging on a stethoscope, it is usually not because any of them have a really good idea of how to use this prop, but just the opposite - because none of them knows what to do when playing hospital other than wear the stethoscope. When children are aware of different roles involved in a play theme, of what each person does, and how they interact with each other, they are less likely to argue. It's easier to see if children know how to play before they begin their play scenario. This helps them to use positive interactions before the play starts. In the heat of the moment, a child would not be very likely to let go of a stethoscope, but earlier, at the planning stage, he may be fine with the idea of switching from being a doctor to being an X-ray technician.

Creating Play-Rich Environments

You're probably already familiar with the concept of "literacy-rich environments." If we are to approach play development in the same thoughtful way, we will need to take a closer look at our classrooms to see if there is enough there to support mature, high-level play. Here are some ways to make your classroom play-rich:

• Make sure there is a long, uninterrupted block of time in the schedule reserved for play. Children need time to plan their play, to negotiate roles with each other, to choose or make props, and finally, to carry out their play ideas. On average, it takes from a half-hour to an hour for young children to develop and act out a good play scenario.
• Have a combination of props in the dramatic-play center-some that are realistic and theme-specific, and some that are not. Returning from a field trip, try to arrange with the hosts to let you have one or two props associated with this specific setting (an orange bucket from a hardware store or a vet's robe from a pet store).
• Place pictures you took on the field trips, or copies of book illustrations, in the dramatic-play area when children are using play themes based on these trips and books. This will remind children of the different roles they can play.
• Refrain from limiting pretend play to the dramatic-play center. Have enough toys and props in all centers for children to be able to engage in play in those areas as well.
• Extend the play theme to other centers. Children in the art center can make the pizzas for the restaurant. Children at the sand table can be planting the vegetables that will be sold in the supermarket.
• Have different play scenarios going on in different centers. The literacy center can be a school, a post office, or a library.
• Have children practice pretending in different situations. Incorporate elements of pretend play into other activities and routines throughout the day. For example, if you have to take children to the bathroom across the hall, you can help them go quietly by asking them to pretend that they are little mice. Suggest that they walk in such a way that they would not wake up a cat who is hiding in the hall.

With small adjustments to the things that you are already doing in the classroom, you can create the "play-rich" environment that will promote the development of language and literacy.

limited play for teachers, too, due to "the lack of a proper work-life balance"

She bemoaned the fact that, in June, she would have to set out what levels all the children in her charge had reached on the foundation curriculum - "117 tick-boxes per child".