Nothern provides overview of creative curriculum

Nothern noted that LELC teachers are still getting up to speed with the program. 

“The teachers are being trained on the assessment, the social-emotional, as well as the curriculum,” she said, “so we’re going to talk about how they learn to play.”

Northern’s PowerPoint presentation stated that “playing is learning” and that children learn through play.

Northern noted that playing is the foundation for all learning for young children, while the time and basic toys provides them with a variety of valuable learning opportunities.

Some of the playtime activities include light, brisk or changing movement (pretend to be a butterfly); acting or imitating the part of a person or character (play house); employing a piece of equipment (play with blocks); exercise or activity for amusement or recreation (play tag); fun or jest (peek-a-boo); and action-filled games, such as duck-duck-goose. 

“Play is how children begin to understand and process their world,” Nothern said. “Play unlocks their creativity and imagination and develops reading, thinking and problem-solving skills.”

Nothern added that children need ample time to play effectively. 

“Playing provides the bedrock foundation for learning, and it further develops their motor skills,” she said. “Making use of both playground and classroom encourages children to develop their motor skills during free play.”

The Play curriculum also promotes curiosity, and allows children to investigate and discover the world around them, Nothern said.

“Children use their senses: seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling and touching to accomplish their tasks,” Nothern’s presentation said.

She also discussed the role of the preschool teacher as it relates to the curriculum, adding that it’s a critical element. She noted that teachers must provide structured and non-structured play opportunities throughout the day.

“Opportunities for daily play build social, emotional, physical and cognitive strength,” she said. “Play is linked to growth in memory, self-regulation, language and symbol recognition, as well as increased literacy skills and other areas of academic learning.”

The Play curriculum also entails language development.

“Playing with a dollhouse and dolls allows children to re-enact what happens in everyday life by using words and phrases they hear,” she said, and it encourages children to hone their verbal and socialization skills.

Fantasy and imagination is also emphasized.

“Fantasy-directed play with dressing up in costumes, assuming character roles, and pretending to take on the role of adults develops social skills,” she said. “Using props, hats, clothes and toys to represent characters in stories and creating imaginary settings is a great outlet for children.”

Northern also mentioned problem-solving. 

“Children can solve complex problems that arise as they play, and they learn a few mathematical principles as well,” she said. “Blocks and puzzles are excellent basics to provide children with opportunities to foster these important skills.”

Fine motor development is another area that was broached.

“Stringing beads and lacing enables children to create necklaces while strengthening their fine motor muscles. Lacing cards, peg boards and play-dough also provide fun projects.”

Cognitive development is another important aspect. 

“Cognitive development occurs during play as children discuss, collect objects, take turns, and share,” she said. “Adding and subtracting, shapes, patterning, sequencing, use of ordinal numbers are only a few of the concepts being learned.”

She closed the presentation at LELC by touting the overall benefits of Play.

“Play promotes children’s social skills, stimulates their sense of self-worth and encourages collaboration,” she said. “Play also helps preschoolers master the skills they’ll need for academic subjects later on.”