Documentation of Free Play with Preschoolers

1. Documentation of Free Play with Preschoolers By: Beatrice Chavez CHLD DV 258 Unit 3, Project 3D

2. Today’s play brought to you by… During my observations, the preschoolers used a variety of provided materials and toys, as well as some that they have created themselves. Free play is child-initiated play where children can use the materials around them as they please. Play involves many areas of development for children. They learn to socialize, share, how to problem solve and work together, and how to take turns, among other things.

3. Play is using provided materials and toys A variety of toys Fire truck made as a project used as dramatic play Eggs for matching letters used to make towers Different play environments A variety of roles to take on

4. Play inside & outside Play can occur at any time as long as it is child-initiated. Preschoolers should always be allowed certain times throughout their day that is devoted purely to free play of some kind, whether inside or outside. Play can take place anywhere, indoors or outdoors.

5. Play as a way to learn life skills Using imagination and creativity to invent their own game Learning to take turns without guidance or assistance from teacher or adult Working together toward a common goal…or to see who wins the basketball game

6. Play as socialization

7. Play has taught me… I thought that 3- and 4- years old did not know, for the most part, how to share and how to take turns. When we do lessons together, they normally cannot wait their turn patiently. Yet, during their own free play, I realized just how well they can take turns, share, and work together with no guidance from a teacher or adult. There is a new girl, L, that recently started in our center. She is very shy and quiet, and despite our attempts to socialize with her, she rarely talks to the adults and teachers. Now I have learned through my observations just how important peer-to-peer socialization is because B was able to successfully engage L in conversation during their play. It was very humbling but satisfying to see because B was able to accomplish something the teachers could not.

8. Play will now be all about… As a teacher, I have learned through my observations to take a step back and allow the children to solve their own problems, unless they cannot work together to solve their issue. Free play is sometimes used as a reward for doing your work, but now I see that every child needs to have that time to play because it helps develop so many important skills for preschoolers. I now plan to make more time for free play to ensure that every child in my classroom has those opportunities to learn how to socialize, problem solve, take turns, and how to develop their imagination and creativity. The preschoolers that I observed have taught me a lot even though I have worked with them before. I now see them in a different light because I observed them objectively and then reflected afterwards on what I observed. I can use what I learned during these observations to better educate and guide my preschoolers.