Entering Play, a look at developing skills.

Charlie and Sam drive their trucks from one side of the Sand Area to the other in the Back Patio.  David, seeing them drive off, wants to join but his truck doesn’t roll as easily.  He then picks it up and carries it towards them.

“Guys, I have a truck, too. See?  I have a truck, too.”  David approaches them.

“No, you can’t come. You’re not our friend.” Sam reacts to the interruption.

.

The truck slips from David’s hands and lands on its side in the sand.  David, with slight alarm in his voice points out, “Yes, but we’re ALL friends.”

Sam responds, “No, you’re not our best friend, right Charlie?”

Charlie agrees, “Not our best friend.”

David tries again louder, “But at school we are ALL friends.”

The boys ignore him and give their attention to their trucks. David looks around and notices his truck lying at his feet.  Assessing his effectiveness, David develops a new plan.

David tries an indirect approach, “Guys, my truck has an owie.”

Sam and Charlie look up. “Look, my truck has an owie.” -David.

David has piqued their interest.   Charlie and Sam approach David, Charlie asks, “What happened?”

David, working the limits of his indirect approach repeats, “My truck has an owie.”

Charlie, now with concern in his voice asks, “Was it a monster?”

David, recognizing engagement, responds with a smile and an enthusiastic, “Yah!”

Charlie declaring acceptance shouts, “Get your truck, David.  Let’s go.”

The three boys drive their trucks off together.  They continue to play together for the rest of the morning.

The difference in development between a skilled and a master player is in the handling of the moment the play can turn to crying and hard feelings.  The master player looks for another approach into the game exercising his imagination, determination and repertoire of social skills.

Even though these moments happen a hundred times a day they often resolve themselves without a teacher and so go by unnoticed.  I was privileged to witness this one.  This situation could have gone very differently if I had “jumped in” when it looked like they were stuck.  Had I done that, I would have robbed them of the successful outcome they found for themselves.  -Amy

As teachers, we constantly find ourselves standing on the sidelines of these small conflicts timing when, or if, we should approach. Too often we step in and help them solve the conflict when in reality, trust needs to be given to children who are capable of finding a way to their own solution.  These events are the building blocks in children’s lives that structure their confidence and willingness to reach new levels of development.