After appointments are called in the East Wing, the teachers meet with the children to communicate the plan amongst the group. Ozzie, Leah, Harel, and Eliotte chose to work in the House Area while Olive and Miro chose the Communication Center.
Ozzie: Pretend it’s morning, ok?
Harel: Ya. Mom, mom, I’m ready for the party!
Leah: Oh, I’m wearing this sparkly dress. What are you wearing?
Ozzie hangs back and observes. He listens to the exchange and reaches for the camera.
Ozzie: How do you take a picture?
Teacher Silvana shows him how the camera works (it has no film in it). Ozzie watches the play with the camera around his neck, occasionally taking photos. Leah is struggling with pinning her sequined fabric just so.
Teacher Silvana: Ozzie, can you support Leah with the clothespin?
Ozzie: Sure.
Over the next 20 minutes, the game evolves into animal play. Ozzie puts the camera down and becomes a dog in the cat game. The dog role engages Miro at the adjoining table and during the play they connect periodically over “Paw Patrol” scenarios.
It takes a skilled player to invent a role (photographer) from which to watch for an opening to enter play. The dress up roles did not appeal to Ozzie, but when the play changed to cats, he was ready to be a dog. I’m wondering a lot of things – did he determine that the cats were a girl’s role since the dress up seemed not to appeal to his perspective of play and was dominated by girls? Did he choose a dog role because he and Miro share an interest in Paw Patrol? Was it a way to connect with his friend, Miro, when he was playing in a different space? Any one of those ideas, and probably several more, may have passed through Ozzie’s mind as he settled into play this morning. It reminds me to be reflective when I see children hovering on the edges of play. There may be very complex thoughts racing through their heads. – Kristin