"Those things you learn without joy you will forget easily." - Finnish saying
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With my sister and I growing up in the 90’s and now having two young children (3 and 1) heading toward formal education, and our mother having attended kindergarten in the 60’s, we are truly worried about the changing tide in education and placing our children in the midst of what we can only deem an ineffective mess.
My mother experienced half day kindergarten complete with naps, milk and cookies, music, songs and art, and of course that forbidden word, recess. My siblings and I also attended kindergarten for half a day and though we were expected to know our ABC’s and count to 100, we had opportunities to engage in pretend play and participated in gym, music, songs, arts & crafts and yes, recess. Today, kindergartners attend a full day of school where all the focus is on academics with play becoming a negative word and recess non-existent. Our educational system is sacrificing play for earlier reading and writing, more homework, more testing and longer school hours and more school days and when children don’t achieve the goals that have been set forth, they are held back. As academics have increased, education has decreased leaving the United States performing dismally in worldwide academic rankings and yet we continue down the same path expecting different results.
Lately, we’ve noticed a growing trend of parents and educators advocating for the return to play based learning or in other words, getting back to basics. Research shows that young children need play and as Fred Rogers said, “play is the work of children.” Most important though is to realize that children NEED unstructured play and NOT play led by an adult. That is not to say that children shouldn’t be provided with objects for pretend play, but the children themselves need to be allowed to decide HOW to utilize them and for what purpose. Children will often create a game or play from what they have seen or participated in with adults but they need to be free to direct the play, which facilitates their own learning and understanding. Unstructured play allows the freedom to explore, create and discover. It specifically helps build creativity and imagination along with building problem-solving and social skills, which leads us to Finland.
Finland often garners educational attention and for good reason. Finland’s high school students consistently rank among the highest performers on international tests like the PISA, but their youngest students focus on play. Finland seems to understand that a child can only learn what their cognitive abilities allow and takes a more natural approach to learning. Kindergarten doesn’t start until age 6 and reading isn’t formally taught until first grade though many of their students learn to read in kindergarten. Books are a part of a kindergartner’s day where the groundwork for literacy development is laid, but as one Finnish kindergarten teacher puts it, “we don’t push them but they learn just because they are ready for it.” Finnish educational expert Pasi Sahlberg states that “kindergarten in Finland doesn’t focus on preparing children for school academically, instead the main goal is to make sure that the children are happy and responsible individuals.”
Creating a strong foundation gives one something to build upon otherwise the gaps can weaken the structure. This is also true with building strong educated minds. Gaps in education can weaken a child’s comprehension and understanding, which will further place the child at a disadvantage because the foundation is not strong enough to make sense of new information. In building the foundation though we must be certain that a child is cognitively ready to receive the educational training that is imposed upon them. Not all children are ready for the academics that are required today in kindergarten and by not allowing children to develop naturally through play and exploration using their own curiosity and imagination to fuel learning, we not only short-change our children but also our nation, leading us to our own state.
Currently in the state of Michigan, kindergarten is not mandatory though 95 percent of Michigan children already attend kindergarten. Legislation has been introduced to make kindergarten mandatory, which then seems to point to eventual mandatory preschool. The premise behind this legislation seems to come from the idea that making kindergarten mandatory, less children will be held back in the third grade because of low reading scores. It is stated that though 95 percent attend, records show attendance is “spotty” leading us to wonder if the representative in question has considered that this may be due to the fact that many children entering kindergarten may not be emotionally or cognitively ready for a full day of academics. We know many children who at five years of age still need a nap to regenerate and wholeheartedly agree with the Finnish system of play and natural learning especially when we observe my own three-year-old at play and the skills and knowledge she is gaining.
The fact is, children are naturally curious and we as parents and educators need to find ways to use this curiosity to fuel imaginations and to facilitate learning in a natural way. We need to remember that each child is a unique individual and that play is a child’s way of learning and is essential to child development. We also need to recognize that one size does NOT fit all and that interests will vary and we should foster these individual interests to have well-rounded contributing members of society. Play based learning should be embraced as other countries have to compete in the global marketplace and to build stronger, healthier, smarter children to become our future leaders.
-Kate @ BTBL
Author
We are three generations that seek a way to get back to basics. It’s not that we eschew technology, but sometimes simpler is better, especially in raising our children. Mom was a reading teacher, Amanda is an early childhood educator and Kate a children’s literature specialist and former school librarian along with the latest editions, a daughter for Kate (now 3) and a son for Amanda (now 1.) We advocate reading aloud, the simple toys that use imagination and encourage creativity and learning in the kitchen, which can be a fun mess but also teaches life skills. Join us in raising healthy, happy, inquisitive and intelligent children.
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Any time we hit the road we always keep our eyes open for bookstores to wander through and child-friendly activities and events to partake of. Our recent family road trip to northern Michigan offered plenty of fun in the sun by the big lake and led to the discovery of a new and used bookstore, as well as a hands on children’s museum that fueled my three-year-old daughter’s imagination and made us wish we didn’t live three hours away! Sandcastles Children’s Museum in Ludington, Michigan is a bit of a misnomer. I was expecting a museum and, I suppose it is, but not in the typical way one would expect. Sandcastles is a place for children to create, discover and explore. It allows curious children to experience the landmarks of Ludington in a hands-on environment through interactive exhibits. Over its three floors children are able to...
The creative, imaginative fun simply goes on and on and on. Each area offers real life props for children to use that enhances the fun and learning. Additionally, sprinkled throughout the exhibits are informative articles and posters that explain the origins of the exhibits themselves, offer a bit of the history of Ludington and explain different topics related to the theme of the exhibit (such as information on keeping our pets safe and healthy in the Vet Center). As you move through the exhibits you will also find books relating to the different themes that you and your child can read together. It’s the perfect blending of imaginative play and reading aloud! Another gem we discovered in Ludington is The Windowsill, a downtown bookstore that offers both new and used books in a well-organized, friendly atmosphere. I found several titles for myself and quite a few children’s books, some of which I have been hoping to find in my used sale travels and was able to snag at a great price! The children's area offered titles for every age, from infant through teens. We especially appreciated the fact that the books were organized in such as a way as to be easily accessible to children. Nothing was up put on the top shelves, except special books for display, thus kids are able to browse at their leisure while parents look for books too. Stores like this one are our favorite because you just never know what you might find! What fun places have you discovered while on the road with your family? Tell us in the comments!
Fairy tales, the timeless stories of monsters and heroes, damsels and princes, talking creatures and unbelievable happenings; that touch of magic that children crave and that stirs the imagination. In fairy tales, anything is possible, any problem can be overcome and ordinary people can do extraordinary things. It is this sense of magic and endless possibilities that speaks to the heart of a child. So with the end of the school year and the long summer break looming ahead, think about using fairy tales to teach positive life lessons without the lectures. Child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim explains a child’s need for magic in his book The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales: “The fairy tale proceeds in a manner which conforms to the way a child thinks and experiences the world; this is why the fairy tale is so convincing to him. He can gain much better solace from a fairy tale than he can from an effort to comfort him based on adult reasoning and viewpoints. A child trusts what the fairy story tells, because its world view accords with his own.” Fairy tales remind us that evil does exist but it also shows us that evil can be conquered and good prevail. Eighteenth century German poet, philosopher and playwright Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller remarked that “deeper meaning resides in the fairy tales told to me in my childhood than in any truth that is taught in life.” So sit and read a fairy tale with your child and let the tale help to impart the morals and manners you wish to take hold. Children will invariably ask questions and a conversation may ensue giving you the opportunity to impart your own wisdom and make the implied message clearer in their minds. Check out our blog post The Magic of Fairy Tales to see a list of great fairy tale books to share! Creating a Fairy Garden To bring the fairy tales to heart, take it a step further and jump on the fairy bandwagon and create your own fairy realm. The fairy garden movement evolved out of the fairy door phenomenon, those little doors that began springing up in random locations all around the country, igniting everyone's curiosity. What's behind the door? stirred the imagination and lead to complete fairy homes and then whole fairy communities. Fairy gardens are the embodiment of imagination, creativity and magic. I dare you to look at one of these miniature worlds and not smile. They immediately spark wonder and delight in all those who come upon them and this is especially true of children. The beauty of creating a fairy garden with children is that the possibilities are truly endless. They can be indoors or out, feature real plants or fake, be created with purchased, found or natural materials in a container, flower bed, out in the yard, around a tree stump, anywhere at all. They can even be based on a fairy tale you have read with your child. The best fairy gardens for children are those that children themselves have a hand in creating and that feature manipulatives they can rearrange and move about as they wish. Think of it as a sort of doll house. Playing in a fairy garden allows a child to exercise their own creativity and engage in pretend, imaginative play that will aid in the development of small motor skills, coordination and focus. Additionally, manipulating small figurines and objects in a fairy garden will boost their oral storytelling skills as they invent stories and scenarios while they play, taking their cue from tales you have already read together. The following is a list of things to consider before starting your own fairy garden:
Our Fairy Garden Fairy gardens should be a continuous work-in-progress. Kids need to be able to flex their creative muscles and make their imaginings come to life. Also, fairies enjoy getting new things just as much as people do! Our fairy garden is no exception and first came about on a whim after removing a large bush that was next to our deck. The space left behind was the perfect blank slate for us to transform into a magical place for fairies to gather! We are trying to use more natural materials to create our own dwellings and furniture for the fairies, but when you're at Michaels and your 2 year old catches sight of all of those beautiful fairy figurines and houses...well, how can you say no and just walk on by? Therefore, as stated earlier, our garden is a mix of a little bit of everything: found/re-purposed, homemade, natural and purchased items. My daughter is always an active participant in the process and uses the garden for make believe play. Consider some of the following titles to bring fairies to life and make it a memorable summer for you and your child: *Note: this post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Any purchases made via the links provided go to support our literacy efforts! My collection of fairy encyclopedias and art books started when I was young and has continued to grow as my daughter's own love of fairies has blossomed. You would be surprised what amazing books you can find at a used book sale, so keep your eyes open for a glimpse of gossamer wings when browsing! Do you have a fairy garden of your own? Share a photo with us in the comments!
Happy reading and creating! As you may or may not be aware, we here at BTBL believe in taking advantage of those spontaneous moments of play and learning that can pop up throughout the day. For instance…as we were sitting down to lunch at my daughter’s little picnic table this afternoon, my munchkin jumped up and headed into the study chanting, “Mouse, Mouse, Mouse!” For whatever reason she had suddenly decided she wanted to read If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff. Okay. This mum can roll with that. Instead of forcing her to sit back down and eat her lunch as would probably be most parents’ first response, I extricated myself from the tiny table to help her get the beloved story down from the shelf. She knows exactly where her favorites are located as we have all of our picture books alphabetized, so they always go home to the same spot each time. Yes, we, or rather I am very OCD about my bookshelves. Anywho…I got the book down for her and she brought it over to her picnic table and we sat back down to munch and read. Our luncheon storytime was going smoothly, eating and reading melding together beautifully, until we got to the part where Mouse wanted to draw a picture and got out some crayons. Once again, my girl was up and running, but chanting “crayons, crayons, crayons,” this time. She went straight over to the bench where the coloring supplies are stored and got out the baggie of crayons. Being a team player, I got a piece of white computer paper for her and we sat back down at the picnic table. Now we had a luncheon of coloring and reading happening, albeit there wasn’t too much eating going on anymore. My budding artist began working on her own masterpiece, while pointing out the colors of crayons that Mouse had and finding the corresponding color in her own bag. Watching her become so inspired by the story we were reading was extremely exciting as a parent. She was interested in what we were reading, totally focused, and fully engaged in the experience. The best part of it all…? It was driven by her. She wanted to read. She wanted to color like Mouse. And I let her, rather than putting a halt to the whole moment by insisting that it was lunch time. Through this one experience we shared a story (granted we didn’t finish it, but that isn’t really always important), discussed the illustrations and what the characters were doing, we reviewed colors, drew different shapes and the alphabet all while working on fine motor skills, and we bonded with each other, making new memories we will cherish (well, I will at least, ha).
The point of all this babbling…????? Sometimes you just gotta go with it, regardless of what the plan was at the time. Sometimes you need to let those spontaneous moments of play and learning just happen, whenever they happen. Children are naturally curious and creative and they will put those natural abilities to good use when you, as the parent, allow them the time and resources to do so. Happy playing and reading! PS: We LOVE Laura Numeroff's If You Give A... series around here, particularly the stories of Mouse. Check them out if you haven't already! As we all know, entertaining a toddler can sometimes seem like a Herculean task. I mean, how do you keep a pint-sized whirlwind fully engaged for more than five minutes?! Well, today inspiration hit and I remembered my Fisher-Price Briarberry Collection tucked safely away in a bin in the basement. The Briarberry Collection is a discontinued toy from Fisher-Price of plush bears and different playsets, such as a kitchen, a dining set and wardrobe. My little one was perfectly thrilled when I opened up the bin and she caught sight of the bears, Sarahberry and Berrylynn (their names are on the bottom of their left foot). We sat down together and took out all of the furniture pieces and then began to go through the smaller containers that held all of the little pieces (place settings, clothing, pot, cookie sheet, bedding, story book etc). I helped her set everything up, explaining what all of the pieces were and chatting with her about what the bears could do. After a while, she began manipulating the toys herself, pouring the tea and giving the bears a drink, cooking up a pot of soup on the stove and then tucking the bears into bed for a nap. She even read the bears a story! These toys are positively adorable and the best part...??? They do not have any electronics! That's right! No noises, no lights, no moving parts! Just basic toys that encourage a child's own creativity and imagination. I noticed that my little one began utilizing different voices when using each bear. She would sing and just talk, talk, talk as she had the bears going about their various activities. Also, the bears each came with their own storybook. We were able to sit down and read about the very bears she was playing with, occasionally acting out what was happening in the story. If only there were more toys like these on the market today! I am so glad I saved these toys and finally remembered I had them! They have offered an afternoon of genuine play, a chance to connect play with reading, and an opportunity for my little one to exercise her creative skills and imagination.
Moral of the story? Some toys should be saved and shared generation after generation! Happy playing and reading! |
AuthorWe are mom Sandra and daughters Amanda and Kate, all with backgrounds in literacy and education, who want to share our philosophy of taking the basics of life; books, simple toys that encourage play, imagination and creativity, and using cooking and baking to teach math and real life skills to raise happy, inquisitive children. Join us in exploring the old and the new and sifting through the myriad of research to consider what is best for our children. Archives
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