"Just Playing?" Going Fishing Magnet Play

Thanks for joining me here for another installment in our "Just Playing?" series! You are invited to view the photos and really think about what you see going on here and be sure to share your thoughts, observations and reflections in the comments. Sure, the children are playing, but they are also learning! 

Some of the kids got out the magnets the other day and began to explore. In the box with the magnets, I have some metallic and non metallic items for the children to experiment with. 

While one little guy was playing, he kept adding items to the creation he was making. Before long, it resembled a fishing pole. 

He carried it around and pretended to fish, making motions as if to reel in a fish.

After a bit, he added a few of the paper clips and a plastic fish manipulative. The kids are pretty used to me taking photos of their play and when they have made something they are particularly proud of, they'll frequently call me over and ask me to take a picture, so it wasn't a surprise when he called to me, "Mrs. Ayn take my picture! I've caught a big one!"

We may be "just playing", but....

What are the children doing here?

What do you see?

What learning is taking place?

What skills are being practiced/developed?

This post is part of the "Just Playing?" Blog Hop!

Thank you for remembering that young children do not "just play." Young children play. They develop through play. They learn through play. They experiment through play. They grow through play. A child's work is play. Play is important!

Please take a moment to reflect upon the photos and questions above. I would love for you to share your observations in a comment. I'd also like to invite you to "hop" on over to all of the other bloggers who are sharing photos of children learning through play this week:

If you are looking for more of our “Just Playing?” posts and resources from around the globe, please visit our Pinterest Board.

Are you a blogger? Would you like to join the JUST PLAYING? blog hop community?

You can join the hop via our Facebook Group: Just Playing?

or please contact Amy from Child Central Station for more information.

"Just Playing?" : Building A Wall

Welcome to the 2nd installment in our "Just Playing?" series! You are invited to view the photos and really think about what you see going on here and be sure to share your thoughts, observations and reflections in the comments. Sure, the children are playing, but they are also learning! 

The students in these photos are building a wall with blocks.

They are lining them up. 

When someone accidentally bumps the blocks and they fall like dominoes, the children rebuild, this time placing the blocks closer together.

Last week's post, "Just Playing?": Cooking With Meatballs, featured children "cooking" on the playground with sand and gumballs from our Sweet Gum tree.

 I have a short video clip that explains a little more about what they were making:

The children explained that they were making a saute' with sand, meatballs, rocks and ants---and the ants were their helpers!

We may be "just playing", but....

What are the children doing here?

What do you see?

What learning is taking place?

What skills are being practiced/developed?

This post is part of the "Just Playing?" Blog Hop!

Thank you for remembering that young children do not "just play." Young children play. They develop through play. They learn through play. They experiment through play. They grow through play. A child's work is play. Play is important!

Please take a moment to reflect upon the photos and questions above. I would love for you to share your observations in a comment. I'd also like to invite you to "hop" on over to all of the other bloggers who are sharing photos of children learning through play this week:

If you are looking for more of our “Just Playing?” posts and resources from around the globe, please visit our Pinterest Board.

Are you a blogger? Would you like to join the JUST PLAYING? blog hop community?

You can join the hop via our Facebook Group: Just Playing?

or please contact Amy from Child Central Station for more information.

"Just Playing?" Blog Hop: Cooking With Meatballs

Welcome to our first "Just Playing?" weekly blog hop!

These children are "cooking" on our playground with gumballs from our Sweet Gum tree. The children call them "meatballs". Our playground is constantly filled with the sights and sounds of children cooking (too bad we can't smell it, too)! What do you think they are making here?

We may be "just playing", but....

What are the children doing here?

What do you see?

What learning is taking place?

What skills are being practiced/developed?

   

This post is part of the "Just Playing?" Blog Hop!

Thank you for remembering that young children do not "just play." Young children play. They develop through play. They learn through play. They experiment through play. They grow through play. A child's work is play. Play is important!

Please take a moment to reflect upon the photos and questions above. I would love for you to share your observations in a comment. I'd also like to invite you to "hop" on over to all of the other bloggers who are sharing photos of children learning through play this week:

If you are looking for more of our “Just Playing?” posts and resources from around the globe, please visit our Pinterest Board.

Are you a blogger? Would you like to join the JUST PLAYING? blog hop community?

You can join the hop via our Facebook Group: Just Playing?

or please contact Amy from Child Central Station for more information.

I'd love for you to share your thoughts in the comments and please visit the other blogs in the "Just Playing" Blog Hop!

A Gift for Dad, A Book To Share and A Blog Hop!

I'm thrilled to participate this month in the Preschool Blogger Network's "Father's Day Book and Activity" Blog Hop! 

I am always stumped for good ideas for gifts kids can make for Father's Day. I came up with this simple pencil can that is so easy for kids to make and can be decorated for any theme or interest. 


First, wash a empty can from the recycling bin. Soup and vegetable cans are the perfect size for this. If you are worried about the top edge, simply place a strip of duct tape over the lip to cover the edges. Glue craft sticks to the can until the surface is completely covered. (Be careful to make sure the sticks are aligned with the bottom of the can or it won't sit level.)

After letting glue dry, paint and decorate to suit Dad's interests. My husband has an affinity for sailing, so we made our can with a little sailing scene with a banner plane that pulls a banner that says "Dad".  We used foam stickers for embellishments. 

 

Another thing I like about this project is that it is easily adapted for any person or occasion. If a student does not have a father, or a father figure, it can be decorated for Mom or Grandma. I take note of those situations at the beginning of the year and ask the family how they want to handle it. Often, there is a grandfather, uncle or other father figure in the picture. If this is the case, you may want to read a book about non-typical families. I've heard really good things about the book "Love is a Family" by Roma Downey from Touched By An Angel. 

There are tons of good children's books out there about Dads. My favorite is "Kevin and His Dad" by Irene Smalls. Dad and Kevin spend the day together doing chores and enjoying their time together. I love that the focus is on finding the joy together in simple, everyday activities! 

Be sure to stop by these wonderful blogs and check out the books and ideas they are sharing today!


Teach Preschool : Aunt Annie's Childcare : Living Montessori Now : The SEEDS Network : Music Sparks :Males in Early Childhood : Little Illuminations

Father's Day Ideas Coming Soon.....

Stay tuned tomorrow for some great Father's Day books and activity ideas in our "Father's Day Blog Hop", brought to you by members of the Preschool Blogger Network! If you've got a great idea to share, stop by and add it to our Blog Hop! 

The Earth and I: Earth Day Books, Activities and a Blog Hop!

I am thrilled to participate in a Earth Day blog hop, by the Preschool Blogger Network. We are sharing an activity and a favorite book for Earth Day.

Earth Day is April 22nd and the perfect time to talk about protecting our environment. My favorite Earth Day Book is "The Earth and I" by Frank Asch. I love the watercolor illustrations and the simple text helps children understand the importance of caring for our Earth. 

One of the favorite activities in my classroom around Earth Day is to make these coffee filter earths. Throughout the year, we try a variety of techniques, from watercolor painting, to coloring with markers and either spraying with a water bottle or using an eyedropper to help blend the colors.

Our recycled earth collage was a wonderful way to use up scraps and magazine remnants from our scrap box. I drew an outline of the world and a couple of continents and the kids glued shades of blue and green to the background.  

We have a fabulous group of bloggers participating, all sharing their favorite Earth Day books and activities. Be sure to bookmark or pin them all!  If you have a post about a favorite Earth Day book or activity, you are invited to link up your post here! 


Teach Preschool : Child Central Station : Living Montessori Now : Aunt Annie's Childcare : The SEEDS Network : Flights of Whimsy : Pre-K Pages : Kreative Resources : I'm a teacher, get me OUTSIDE here! : Share & Remember : Music Sparks : little illuminations : Greening Sam and Avery : Putti Prapancha : Early Play : 52 Days to Explore : Little Running Teacher : Look at My Happy Rainbow : Rainbows within Reach