Did you know that eighty percent of a child’s brain development occurs before they start primary school? For many children, the most important years of schooling come before they can even read.
Facts like this can create quite a feeling of pressure for parents to ensure that their child gets the right stimulation in these early years. This can easily lead both parents and even some pre-primary schools to ‘push’ their children too hard or too soon into formal learning activities. Research shows that when children are pushed into formal learning at a very young age, it can create negative feelings about school or learning that may be hard to overcome.
It is important to remember that these early years are best suited to learning through play. It is within the world of play that a child’s love of learning can flourish, as they explore trying new things and asking new questions.
At Weavers’ Nest Pre-Primary school in Hillcrest, teachers are inspired by the Reggio Emelia philosophy of learning through child-directed play. Loris Malaguzzi, the founder of this approach, emphasized a child’s one hundred ways of learning, and they endeavour to provide children with many varied opportunities to explore and interact with their environment and their peers. The key component here is JOY: the ‘how’ of learning. As Malaguzzi said: “Nothing without joy.”
The best learning opportunities stem from your child’s own interests, be it bugs, dinosaurs or building with lego, and this should be your starting point. Here are three ideas of Reggio-inspired play activities you can do at home with your pre-school age child:
Loose Parts: Provide a collection of objects around an idea or a theme and set up a provocative play area, on either a table, the floor or outdoors. For example, provide a sandy base, a few rocks, leaves or sticks and suggest your child build a habitat for his dinosaurs. If your child loves drawing, set up an inspiring table using one colour e.g. red crayons, chalk, paint and a variety of paper choices, all creatively displayed, and invite your child to visit! Loose parts ideas can include shiny metal objects, things to use for measuring, a collection of shells or buttons or stones. The list is endless, as are the possibilities of learning about numbers, literacy and life skills.
Transient Art: This can develop from a loose parts activity. Set up an activity table with a mirror for your child to study. Provide a paper plate or round mat as a base and then a variety of buttons, beads, seedpods, wool etc for your child to create his/her face.
‘Tugging’ box: A great activity for fine motor development. Use a large cardboard box e.g. shoe box. Make a few holes on each side, top and bottom. Cut various lengths/colours of thick string, wool and/or rope. Thread through the holes and knot both ends tightly. Close the box. Your toddler can now tug the wool bits through the holes for endless fun!
Would you like to see learning through play in action? RSVP on www.hps.co.za to join the Weavers’ Nest Open Day on Thursday 7th March from 8.30am to 10.30am or email marketing@hps.co.za to book a tour of Weavers’ Nest one morning. You can see for yourself how the dedicated teachers encourage a passion for discovery, through play.
Weavers’ Nest is situated on the Highbury estate in Hillcrest and caters for girls and boys from Grade 0000 (age 2, turning 3) to Grade 00 (age 4, turning 5).