Child Development- 1st Period- Class #8
When the students walked in today, they'd find the Danger Shop looking a little larger than usual. Due to the small plastic playground on one end of the playroom they usually found themselves in.
"How are we all doing?" Lily asked. "I know it's Monday for some of you, and it's early, and you don't want to be here. Well, suck it up because you're gonna be active today.
"Today we're going to be learning about play," she went on, passing down the handouts. "Yeah, I know, it's fun, but it serves developmental and educational purposes, too. The other week we were talking about fine and gross motor skills. Running and jumping and climbing trees walking, things like that, work the bigger muscles. Smaller things, like block, puzzle pieces, those work the fine motor skills. And beyond physical development, there are educational toys. The old Speak and Says- don't tell me you don't know what those are, I will feel old- the Leap Frog things, they're a way for kids to learn. Because even now, wouldn't you prefer to learn while you're actually having fun? You've got to keep their interest somehow. There's also the social aspect. Play is where a lot of kids learn simple things like sharing. I mean, I'm going to set you guys off to play, and let's face it, you're all going to probably pair up and talk the whole time.
"Hey, that's a great segue there, really. On one side of the playroom you have the playground setting. On the other you have have puzzles and games and dolls. Don't act like you're too cool for it, everyone needs to get a little silly now and then. Just think about what a kid would be learning doing whatever activity you pick. Is it something where you can involve yourself with other people? Do you need to work at problem solving? By the end of class you can just write a quick handwavy paragraph on what you think. And hopefully this will wake you up for the rest of your day, and if it doesn't... well, I tried."
"How are we all doing?" Lily asked. "I know it's Monday for some of you, and it's early, and you don't want to be here. Well, suck it up because you're gonna be active today.
"Today we're going to be learning about play," she went on, passing down the handouts. "Yeah, I know, it's fun, but it serves developmental and educational purposes, too. The other week we were talking about fine and gross motor skills. Running and jumping and climbing trees walking, things like that, work the bigger muscles. Smaller things, like block, puzzle pieces, those work the fine motor skills. And beyond physical development, there are educational toys. The old Speak and Says- don't tell me you don't know what those are, I will feel old- the Leap Frog things, they're a way for kids to learn. Because even now, wouldn't you prefer to learn while you're actually having fun? You've got to keep their interest somehow. There's also the social aspect. Play is where a lot of kids learn simple things like sharing. I mean, I'm going to set you guys off to play, and let's face it, you're all going to probably pair up and talk the whole time.
"Hey, that's a great segue there, really. On one side of the playroom you have the playground setting. On the other you have have puzzles and games and dolls. Don't act like you're too cool for it, everyone needs to get a little silly now and then. Just think about what a kid would be learning doing whatever activity you pick. Is it something where you can involve yourself with other people? Do you need to work at problem solving? By the end of class you can just write a quick handwavy paragraph on what you think. And hopefully this will wake you up for the rest of your day, and if it doesn't... well, I tried."