Confession #1: Sometimes I just ignore the children.
Confession #2 : I am not actually ignoring them.
They just think I am (if they even notice at all).
I think outdoor play at preschool is such an important time for children to be "away" from adults. If I look busy to them, than they figure it out. They do their OWN thing. Work out their OWN problems. Use their OWN words with each other. They don't shy away from their imagination because they don't like the spotlight of an adult's attention. This goes back to my post from a couple weeks ago about "Letting the Wander."
The illusion of being away from us.
I often wonder when people drive by the preschool and I am off on my own shoveling snow or moving rocks if people think I am not paying attention to the children. I assure you that I am fully aware of the games they are playing and I'm usually trying to create some sort of invitation to add to their play.
Today was one of those days. There was a small crowd and they were playing happily on our GIANT snow mountain (made by the plow truck). They were playing ninjas and I thought that ninjas probably need places to hide.
Without them really paying much attention to me or me to them, I started digging holes. It was a great way for me to get in some exercise too, while they were busy playing. *Local readers are probably thinking I'm crazy for doing extra shoveling this week just for fun.
The holes quickly became very popular. As they started to "take over" the hideout I was digging, I would just move to a new space and dig another slightly different one. Before I knew it the game had changed. Everybody was part of the ONE game, even from their separate hideouts. *I won't bother to try and explain the game, as it is most likely too complicated for adults to understand. Something about teams and ninjas and the leader of the just-born team members.
Photo Op.
At the end of play time, each of the children ran to hide in one of the holes, to see how truly hidden they could be from the parking lot.
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| Where did the children go? |
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| Popping out of their hideouts when I called their name. |
Please visit the Outdoor Play Party to see how others have been playing outdoors lately!
