If you want to capture a young child’s attention, then focus on the things that matter the most to the child and one of those things is the child’s family.
Our preschoolers have a way of reminding us about what matters most to them through their everyday conversations and interactions.
And although any time throughout the school year is a good time to celebrate families, the holidays are especially a good time to focus on the things that really matter.
Many of our student’s families are growing. It seems new babies are being born every time I turn around. So as you can see, playing with babies is one way they can explore the role of different family members. The children also explored families by putting together their own simple DIY family puzzles.
Miss Abby invited the parents to email her a family photo which she then printed out and cut a part. All the children’s family members were mixed up and placed in a basket. The children were invited to sort through the photos to find the members of their family and create their own family puzzle or collage.
While searching for family members, the children shared their found photos with each other. What a wonderful opportunity to build community, conversation, and celebrate families all together.
The children easily stayed with this process because the process was built around what matters the most them. Yes, if you want to engage a child in any process, find out what matters to the child and start from there.
What a joy it is to celebrate the families of these sweet young children with them!
