Purposeful Play

What is Purposeful Play?

Play time that is loosely structured with a variety of options for children to engage their academic and social minds in order create, explore, extend, and relate.

What are key features?

Purposeful play is a device free time where children are encouraged to use their imagination in order to engage in play. There is no right way to play. Children have the opportunity to build, create, reflect, and recreate their own set of rules or guidelines to their choice of play. The emphasis is on the process of the play, not the product of the play.

What are the benefits of Purposeful Play?

Social Emotional Growth
Problem Solving Skills
Critical and Creative Thinking
Sharing
Collaboration - practice working in a group
Apply knowledge and experience in a low risk setting
Perspective Taking
Self Regulation
Self Monitoring

How to Integrate Purposeful Play At Home

Play Invitations

A play invitation is a set of items put out that could be used to make something specific or something unique. Here are some ideas:

Any feelings books and materials to make a face
Eric Carle books and paper pieces and writing tools to make their own stories or characters from the stories
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and letters and green and brown construction paper

You can always connect it back to the read aloud from the day or week and give them art supplies to create something based on the story.

Loose Parts Play

Use anything around the house to build and create. Materials could include rocks, beens, bolts/washers, yarn, cardboard, fabric, blocks, legos, and so much more!

Open Ended Art

Provide a variety of art supplies out: markers, crayons, water spray bottles, water color paints, paper, coffee filters, fabric, cardboard, glue, scissors.

Dramatic Play

Dramatic play is when children assign and act out or accept roles that mimic real life. The engage in conversations that mimic the language that matches the play setting choice. Examples of this include playing kitchen, house, restaurant, school, beauty salon, post office, doctor...the list goes on and on!

Connect it to Literacy

Set out a book that you've read together or remind your child of a book they heard their teacher read aloud. Provide them with loose parts or art materials and ask them if they could make something to go with the book.

Want to Engage with your Child?

Join in the play and enjoy the process or ask them questions about the steps they took or the way they made something.

Some questions you could ask include:

Why did you do that? (point to a certain part of the project)
Could you teach me how to make that?
Tell me about this.
I noticed you drew ___________; can you tell me about that?
I see you included __________ it reminds me of ___________. Why did you choose to include that?

But remember...only ask a question every now and then. Let your child live in the moment and use their imagination to play to their fullest. Self-talk is encouraged when engaging in these sorts of play at home.

Report abuse