Perhaps you’ve heard the quote (attributed to Maria Montessori as well as others), “Play is the work of a child”. Children’s play/work is to make sense out of the world in order to survive in it. Humans evolved as their children practiced running, hiding, climbing, creating and bonding through play. As our kids play around in their world, exploring, experimenting and taking on challenges and risks, they figure out how to balance their learning with their safety and their brains engage, grow and are refined.
This week at story time our work/play will be to explore animal homes. After stories and songs, we’ll think about how animals in our neighborhood need to prepare a home for winter. We’ll explore how to stay warm, cozy and safe, and we’ll figure out how to use what is on hand to create a space just right for them. In addition to working with their creativity and imagination, the kids will also be stretching their growing powers of observation, their understanding of how to manipulate materials to build something, their large and small motor skills and their persistence and compassion.
If the kids want to bring their own animal friend (a stuffed one!) to build a home for, we’d love it. We’ll also have some little play friends on hand for this purpose.
And if you’re interested in learning more about the power of play, here’s a fantastic article by the author and play researcher Nancy Carlsson-Paige: Reclaiming Play: Helping Children Learn and Thrive in School.
We look forward to working and playing with all of you on Tuesday!
Amy and Polly
Cook outdoor nature-based story time
Tuesday 10:30 am
Behind the library!