Guided Play

Toddlers love to play! In fact, research tells us that it’s one of the best ways toddlers learn too. That’s why Toddlers and Twos lessons teach children through guided play. Guided play helps children: • Develop skills (like listening and acting properly) • Gain knowledge (like Bible songs and stories about how much God loves them) • Organize what they already know (by reviewing the Bible story or by sorting items) • Enjoy the learning process (by participating in activities that are age appropriate) All in a safe and secure setting because they know you care about them.

FOUR TYPES OF PLAY

Making the most of children’s playtime involves watching for teachable moments. Playing alongside the children and asking questions is a great way to turn their fun play into guided play. Here are examples of four types of guided play:

1. Basic or Free play—Children play to explore their environment and to see how things work. You can help them think about what they are learning with questions like: ➜ What are you holding? ➜ What is it used for?

2. Creative play—Children love to build and create things, so encourage their creative play with questions like: ➜ Can you make me an animal with the play dough? ➜ Can you draw a picture of a sun?

3. Dramatic play—As children pretend and role-play stories, they are experiencing play through their actions. Guide their play by saying: ➜ How does an elephant move? ➜ Can you pretend to be Noah in

today’s story?

l Let’s use this box for his

boat.

4. Cooperative play—As children play games, they will learn about guidelines, boundaries, and how to interact with one another in socially acceptable ways. For example, playing Simon Says teaches chil dren to follow directions. The familiar game of tag teaches taking turns.

BENEFITS OF GUIDED PLAY

When these four types of guided play are intentionally and purposefully used, toddlers will learn

foundational skills and concepts like mobility, focus and attention span, variety and practice, problem solving, and self-esteem. 1. Mobility—Children love to move. In fact, small children actually become physically uncomfortable if they have to sit still for long periods of time. Learning opportunities that let them move their developing muscles include: • Marching around a box and pretending it is Jericho. • Doing motions to worship songs.

2. Focus and Attention Span—A child’s attention span is about 1 minute per year of age plus 2 additional minutes. So, toddlers and twos are generally able to focus on an activity for about 4 minutes. Having a number of short activities enables children to go from one activity to another, playing while having principles from their lesson reinforced. They learn through repetition too, so it’s okay to come back to an activity later during class time.

3. Variety and Practice—Learning centers and activities are designed to provide a variety of learning opportunities and practice for the toddlers and twos.

Idea 1: As they make a craft, ask questions that tie back into the Bible story. Ask: ➜ Who gave Joseph a colorful coat? What are coats used for? Idea 2: Provide play dough and cookie cutters. Ask: ➜ What kind of meal can you make using this play dough? Who cooked a

meal in today’s story?

4. Problem Solving—Guided play questions also help reinforce the unit’s Bible and Life Application objectives and encourage problem-solving skills. For example, review the story of Noah by having the toddlers walk stuffed animals into a box makeshift ark and asking questions about the story such as: ➜ What other animals do you think came to the

ark?

➜ Why did God bring animals to the ark?

5. Self-Esteem—Possibly the best benefit of guided play is that it gives children more of the individual attention they need and desire. The goal is for children to learn that God knows and loves them personally. One way to teach that is to make sure they feel loved in God’s house.

Guided play works well because it combines some thing children naturally love (play) with something they need to grow and develop (adult guidance). Guided play is not only a great way for toddlers and twos to learn.

It is also a fun, rewarding way to teach. Remember: If I hear, I forget. If I see, I remember more. If I do, I understand and change the way I live. Doing through guided play will bring life-changing learning into children’s lives.