Welcome to Unit 3! Creative Activities It will be helpful to have your course books nearby, if possible. Feel free to chat with each other. We will begin class at 7:00PM ET!

Why is play important?

Importance of Play Give children opportunity to understand the world Interact with others in social ways Express and control emotions Builds motor skills

Stages of Play Sensory Exploration Egocentric Speculation Personal Experimentation

Sensory Exploration Birth to age 5 Children are flexible and excited about their environment Playfulness enhanced by using senses to explore

Egocentric Speculation 2 – 7 Years Old Fantasy and exaggeration of intuitive expressions dominate this phase “Magical Powers” exist Playfulness enhanced by providing opportunities for dramatic play

Personal Experimentation 6 – 10 Years of Age Trial-and-error approach to the world Playfulness enhanced by experimenting with visual and auditory images.

Describe at least two (2) specific types of play that generally occur during each one of these developmental periods.

Sensory Exploration An example of an appropriate toy is a large textured ball made of a variety of fabrics that produces a bell sound when moved. The very young infant feels the ball, sees the variation of fabrics and hears the sound. Other examples – Baby Einstein saucers, baby gyms, rattles

Egocentric Speculation Dress-up clothes, including hats, men’s and women’s jackets, pocketbooks, wallets, shoes, boots, and scraps of fabric. Place these items in a housekeeping center. What other ideas to you have?

Personal Experimentation Learning Centers –Set up a Mexican restaurant center when studying Mexico –Set up a fitness center to encourage increased physical activity. –Centers provide opportunities to play and experiment within the curriculum framework.

Do you think one stage is more important than another? Why?

What types of multicultural materials would you include in a kindergarten class to encourage play? Why would you choose those materials?

Let’s take a field trip! ticultural.htmhttp:// ticultural.htm

What types of play did you participate in as a young child that allowed you to be imaginative or creative? Why do you think they made a difference?

Weekly Reminders Complete reading Post your answer to our discussion board question and respond to several of your classmates’ posts – try to post between Wednesday and Saturday, and again between Sunday and Tuesday

Discussion Board Requirements Initial post is within the 100 word-range and makes a clear connection to the unit readings. Respond to several classmates. Keep the flow of discussion going by asking questions, sharing experiences, and posting throughout the week. Use correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation when posting. Be sure to capitalize the letter I when using it alone.

Ways to get help! your instructor Visit your instructor during office hours on AOL Instant Messenger Post your question to the Course Questions discussion board (under "Course Home" > "Course Questions")

References Isbell, R.T. and Raines, S. C. (2007). Creativity and the Arts with Young Children. Thomson Delmar Learning.Isbell, R.T. and Raines, S. C. (2007). Creativity and the Arts with Young Children. Thomson Delmar Learning.