| A Child's work | | | | even math. |
| Every parent wants to see their kid excel at | | | | COPING SKILLS |
| what they do. As parents, we spend time reading | | | | Growing up is an exciting and scary venture. |
| to them, helping them learn the alphabet, teaching | | | | Consider a child's first day of school. A soon-to-be |
| them math, and enrolling them in the very best | | | | kindergardener may ask himself, "Is the teacher |
| schools possible. While all of these thing are | | | | going to be nice?" Or "Will I be able make friends |
| important, Vivian Gussin Paley suggest that | | | | that will play with me. These are just a few |
| children's work is to play! Vivian, who has been | | | | question that kindergardeners might ask |
| teaching kindergarten and nursery for thirty | | | | themselves. Paley recounts a story of a boy |
| seven years, has studied children develop as they | | | | named Elliot with these same fears. The day |
| play fantasy with other children. (Fantasy play is...) | | | | before Elliot goes to school, he tells his mother a |
| Vivian suggests that children who play fantasy | | | | story of a boy who sees his new teacher and |
| learn skills that will stay with them through out | | | | runs away out of fear. Later that evening he |
| their lives. | | | | retells his story and than acts it out with his sister. |
| PLAYFUL IMAGERY | | | | After telling and act out his story he seemed ok |
| Have you ever taken the time to watch children | | | | with the idea of going to school. As children tell |
| pretend to battle with a dragon, dance like a | | | | and act out their story, they have an incredible |
| ballerina, act like a character from their favorite | | | | ability to work through the problem on their own. |
| book? Have you noticed how creative they | | | | COMMUNICATION |
| become and how quickly they jump from story | | | | Another wonderful benefit of fantasy play is it's |
| to story? Paley states that "children are | | | | ability to teach children how to communicate with |
| intoxicated by the seemingly endless supply of | | | | other children. Communication is a skill that will be |
| plots available just for the thinking. Making up | | | | important through out everyone life. Vivian asked |
| stories is the skill most admired by other children, | | | | mentors of a head start program what aspect of |
| who do not doubt the value of characters who | | | | classroom practice concerns them the most. |
| jump higher than the moon during school time. ... | | | | They responded " Conversation! We don't hear |
| The mind that has been freely associating with | | | | good conversations. There are mostly one-line |
| playful imagery is primed to tackle new ideas. | | | | questions and answers, but the teachers don't |
| Fantasy play, rather than being a distraction, helps | | | | simply converse with the children. And they don't |
| children achieve the goal of having an open mind, | | | | encourage children to talk to one another,either." |
| whether in the service of further storytelling or in | | | | Fantasy play starts with one person ideas and |
| formal lessons." How can an open mind and a | | | | than it snowballs as other children had in their own |
| good imagination help with formal lessons? Take | | | | little twists. As they change the story line they |
| for example learning a physics concept. If you can | | | | learn how to communicate with other and how to |
| visualize the concept, then the concept is easier | | | | work with other ideas. Sound like a great way to |
| to remember and understand. While those | | | | teach children how to communicate with their |
| concepts that are to abstract to visualize, are | | | | friends. Vivian states that "the need to tell one |
| difficult to understand and soon will be forgotten. | | | | another a story exerts a tremendous pull among |
| A vivid imagination can help a child conquer many | | | | children, powerful enough to overcome shyness |
| difficult subject such as chemistry, physics, and | | | | and the fear of the unknown. |