It has long been known that there is a strong link between play and learning. Children are full of natural curiosity and they explore this curiosity through play. When kids are playing, it's the perfect time to learn.
Play teaches kids how to problem solve, how to make friends, how to express themselves, how to enjoy the world around them, and how to recognize letters and numbers. All of these skills form the foundation of a love of learning.
In the kindergarten program, teachers structure play to create learning moments. While children play, they’ll chat with their friends, and figure out how to stop their block tower from falling. They'll draw pictures and role play. And they'll tell stories, and sit quietly to listen to others. All of these activities help kids develop, learn, and eventually acquire the skills that they will need in grade one and beyond.
Both child-initiated free play and more structured play-based learning opportunities are integral parts of the early learning classroom. Children are offered choices of learning activities that reflect their developmental stages. The learning activities are designed by the teacher to encourage the children to think creatively, to explore and investigate, to solve problems and engage in the inquiry process, and to share their learning with others.
As children move naturally from noticing and wondering about the objects and events around them to exploring, observing, and questioning in a more focused way, the teacher helps them develop and extend their inquiry process. The teacher provides children with opportunities to plan, observe, and gather information, and then to compare, sort, classify, and interpret their observations. They provide a rich variety of materials and resources, and interact with children to clarify, expand, or help articulate the children’s thinking. They then encourage children to share their findings with one another through oral and/or visual representations.
-Continue reading more information at the following websites:
and the Ontario Kindergarten Curriculum found here: The Ontario Kindergarten Curriculum
Kindergarten Matters: A Video Series About Intentional Play-Based Learning
Kindergarten Matters: A Video Series About Intentional Play-Based Learning
