Playing With Purpose: Turning Everyday Moments Into Life Lessons

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As any preschool parent knows, most Western education philosophies are now “play based.” While there is some variation in the format, the basic idea is that children learn best by playing and it is the job of the educator to shape and guide that play for optimal results.

Science backs this approach. A quick internet search reveals hundreds of reputable studies that show that playing is not only vital to human development but that we learn best and retain more when we are enjoying the process.

But education and opportunities to learn don’t start and stop at the classroom door. There is so much that you can do as a parent to make everyday play educational. It can be easy, it’s fun, and it will teach your kids to love learning long after their time in the classroom has ended.

Follow Your Child’s Lead

What are they interested in? If they love theatre then encourage them to put on impromptu backyard plays or puppet shows of stories they have read. Making costumes is great for creative problem solving and motor skills, retelling something they read is sequencing and reading comprehension, working with other friends is cooperation and communication. Do they love a particular sport? Get them interested in the history of the game. American baseball had an immense effect on WWII and the history of the Olympics is – quite literally – epic!

Encourage Questions

Encourage questions, and then help them find the answers. I have a very specific memory of my seventh Thanksgiving. I excitedly watched and waited for the little plastic timer in the turkey to magically pop up. When it happened, I turned to my dad and said, “How does it know when it’s time?”

Rather than dryly explaining how heat causes a small piece of metal in the timer to expand which pushes up the plunger my dad said, “Let’s find out!” We spent the next ten minutes examining and dissecting the thermometer and discussing what we discovered. My dad took an everyday moment and turned it into a science experiment. In doing that he also gave me permission to think for myself and encouraged me to come to my own conclusions.

Provide the Environment and Let Mother Nature Do the Rest

Not every educational moment requires your direct guidance. For example, I love a sensory bin. Keeping colored rice, some buttons, and a few cups in a wide shallow bowl will provide hours of entertainment for your child. As they look for buttons and scoop rice from one cup to another they are building neuro pathways, developing seek-and-find skills, and working on spatial awareness. Bonus: They will probably be so engaged that you can read a chapter of your book or have an uninterrupted phone conversation!

Use Technology Thoughtfully

I am not an anti-tech educator. I think it can be an important tool for children and is frankly unavoidable if they want to function in today’s world. But like any tool, it needs to be used thoughtfully. As often as possible try and have an analogue component to what your child is watching. I love cooking videos for kids because they can do it along with the person on the screen. Cooking is great for sequencing, following detailed directions, tactile stimulation, and cause and effect. Plus, it teaches a life skill!

Don’t Discount Free Play

We can have a tendency to over-schedule our children because we want them to have as many opportunities as possible. But as with all things in life, they need balance. Free play teaches children to self-direct their time and energy; it encourages them to make choices and discover what they do and don’t enjoy. In many cases, it requires them to negotiate social interactions. You don’t want all of their playtime to be unstructured, but you also don’t want to leave it out entirely.

Don’t Pretend You Have All the Answers

I love when a student asks me a question and I don’t know the answer! It becomes a learning moment for both of us and a chance to teach them about research. This gives them some agency in the learning process and lets them know that it’s okay to not have all the answers. What’s important is that you have the ability to find the answers.

One of my favorites: A little boy I knew asked me on the playground, “What color do bees think the sky is?” I had no idea. I had never even thought to ask that question. So, I honestly answered: “I don’t know, do you want to help me find out?” We spent reading time on my laptop searching for articles about bees.

Turns out during the day bees probably see a blue sky like us. However, they don’t have a receptor for the color red and do have a lot more receptors for ultra violet colors, so when the sun rises or sets they probably see colors we can’t. How cool is that!

Don’t Overthink It

Playing with purpose is about being engaged and involved. There is no right or wrong way to do it and you don’t have to actively seek it out. You just need to be present and the opportunities will present themselves. Remember the keyword is play, so it should be fun for both of you.

I hope this helps you build amazing memories with your child. Happy learning everyone!

Images: Pexels

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