Having fun on the tyres

6 September 2010 

I noticed that children really like to stay outside rather than inside in our Montessori school. Children enjoy playing the mini slide where they learn how to climb and struggle to get their place in this equipment because it is too small for my liking. I thinked these children need some new things for them to explore, enjoy and play. One weekend, I asked my husband to go to his mate who have a tyre shop and ask for old tyres. I collected 5 tyres and took it with me in the centre the following Monday. I set up the mini slide and connected the tyres to the landing spot which was the mini trampoline. The children played in the mini slide then jumped in the trampoline and continued crawling to the connected tyres. The children enjoyed these activities and their new tyres with the supervision of teachers. R who is learning how to walk was crawling his way to the other tyres. The children does not crowd anymore in the mini slide because they were interested with the new equipments, the tyres. D is contently sitting and trying to sit herself in the hole of the tyre smiling. T was trying to stand walking on the tyres and controlling her balance. The other children were busy climbing the slide and made their way to the trampoline and continue crawling through the tyres using their arms and legs.

What's happening here?

In Infants and Toddlers programme, children should have equipment for them to crawl as long as it is safe. Allow children to venture on the climbing and learning to balance their step (Somerset, 2007). T was  learning strategies and making sense of her play by using her body. T and the other children are also developing locomotor skills, their manipulative skills, co-ordination and balance. R was developing his curiousity  and was motivated for physical activity and was allowed to develop his skills in his own pace. Help was provided with these activities only if they were needed but children were given freedom to explore their world (Ministry of Education, 1996). These play equipment provides a motive for large muscle activity and their fine motor skills. The children were learning social skills and starts learning to take turns or to be patient and learn to wait for their turn. Outdoor play should provide freedom for children to move and explore and the equipments should not use to entertain but rather for children to explore (Gonzales-Mena, 2008).

What is next?

I learned that children are very eager and excited with new things around them. As a teacher, I need to be more aware of activities or things I can use outdoor for children's learning and development. I need to research and read for more outdoor activities especially the Montessori approach activities. Recycleable stuff from the community can be use as tools for children's learning and I can collect some more boxes from the supermarket to make tunnels for them to explore. I can scan around from places like the offices from the neighbourhood if they have papers for recycle for children to scribble on.

References:

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whariki, He whaariki matauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa:   Early childhood curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.

Gonzales-Mena, J. (2008). Foundations of early childhood education: Teaching children in a diverse society (4th ed.). Boston: McGraw Hill.

Somerset, G. (2007). Work an play: In the early years. Auckland, New Zealand: New Zealand Playcentre Federation.