Letting children explore their world through block play is an important part of their growth and development. Providing appropriate options for different ages is also very important, as you want to make sure the toys are age appropriate. Below are some questions and answers that may be helpful with setting up block play in your classroom. Question: How do you handle infants that want to share blocks that they have already put into their mouths? I want to encourage them to interact, but don’t want to upset their parents by having them spread germs. Answer: As I’m sure you know, sanitation is an ongoing struggle in the infant/toddler classroom. You will want to be sure that you are following licensing guidelines for sanitizing. However, you will also want to encourage positive social interaction with the children in your care. If parents get upset, reassure them that you are doing your best to prevent the spread of germs while still allowing for normal interaction between children. Question: Can blocks be choking hazards? Answer: As with all things, you should exercise caution in providing new play materials of any kind to children. Be sure to provide materials that are not choking hazards and to always supervise children of all ages when using the provided blocks. Question: Where can I find more information on block play to share with my co-workers? Answer: You can absolutely refer your coworkers to the optional resources that we provided in the training or encourage them to enroll in this course as well. In addition to this, we have a resource website at www.lessons4learners.com that you may wish to share with them. For more information on Block Play for Infants and Toddlers, register for our two hour course: http://www.cdastars.com/store/p380/Block_Play_for_Infants_and_Toddlers.html
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Having time where children can engage in physical play is essential for their growth and development. Outside activities provide a great opportunity for physical play, however it can be a struggle when children want to play, but do not necessarily know what type of play is appropriate. As a child care professional, children rely on you to create an environment with structure where they can thrive. Below are resources that will help answer some common questions regarding outdoor and physical play time. Question: What are some resources for outside sensory play? Answer: Here are some resource websites that offer Sensory play ideas for outside: Activities for Outdoor Sensory Fun: https://www.thechaosandtheclutter.com/archives/huge-list-outdoor-sensory-fun Backyard Activities for Outdoor Nature Science, Sensory Play, and Early Learning: http://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/outside-early-learning-play-backyard-activities-kids/ Sensory Play Activities: http://www.learning4kids.net/list-of-sensory-play-ideas/ Sensory Play: https://www.teachpreschool.org/sensory-play-2/ Question: Can you provide resources for games that can be played with a group of both older and younger children? Answer: Many outdoor games can be adapted for various ages. Explore the links below, and use your creativity to find ways to adapt the games so that they are inclusive of the children in your care.
Question: How do you engage children in outside, structured play where they participate in the activity rather than running around chaotically? Answer: The first thing to address would be the program planning for outdoor time:
Here are some additional resources that are offered in our training, and are great tools for helping with outdoor program planning: The Process Of Risk, Teacher Tom, March 27, 2015 -http://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-process-of-risk.html No Super Hero Play, Teacher Tom, February 03, 2017 -http://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/2017/02/no-super-hero-play.html Question: How do I incorporate outdoor time into an already busy daily schedule? Answer: Talk with your director about adjusting your daily schedule to see if you can get even just a few more minutes of outside time every day. He or she may have some ideas. If that is not possible, see what you can do about incorporating more physical activity inside the classroom (i.e. brain breaks, combining movement with curriculum, or even just stretching more often). Question: Is it ok to replace wood chips with shredded bark mulch in WA state? Answer: You will want to consult the Child Care Licensing Guidebook, specifically pages 117-121 at the following link: https://del.wa.gov/sites/default/files/imported/publications/licensing/docs/ChildCareCenterLicensingGuide.pdf In addition to these guidelines, WAC 170-297-4950 Playground equipment—Ground cover—Fall zones needs to be followed. Here is the link for that specific WAC: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=170-297-4950 For more information on My Brain Craves Action: Life on the Playground, register for our two hour course: http://www.cdastars.com/store/p630/My-Brain-Craves-Action
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