Back to school! Let’s talk about all things behavior. I have been busy in my pre-k classroom helping my little ones with IEPs and helping kids who may not have an IEP but are struggling with functioning in the classroom.
One big issue I have been seeing is children struggling to attend and engage during free play. I am seeing a lot of the kids wandering the classroom, playing briefly at one center and quickly moving on to another, dumping toys, difficulty playing functionally with toys, etc.
Something we have been working on is having children use play choice boards to pick which center they want to play in. Then we set a timer for 5 minutes or more. The goal is that they stay in the center until the timer goes off or longer because they are enjoying it. It seems that once they can play for more than 5 minutes in a center, I see the play developing more and the children settle into a rhythm. I also have them use the choice board to select their next center. This seems to organize the kids.
Here are some examples of my play choice boards.
Other strategies to help structure free play:
- Structuring play centers more and only allowing a certain number of children in each center can help create a calmer area. Put a large number at each center as a reminder.
- Modeling and role playing different play schemes during circle time can help provide children with more ideas on how to play.
- Providing visuals at each center with what you can build or make is helpful when children are having difficulty deciding what to build.
Weekly Joy~This week I celebrate my amazing teams that I get to work with everyday. I am so grateful to do this work alongside such incredible, dedicated teachers.
