A "Super" Observation

It's morning play and the indoor gross motor area has manifested into dramatic play; super heroes and magic powers.  I watched in awe and wished that I could remember how to whole-heartedly transform myself into a super something-or-other.  Myself and my Team Teacher recalled the things & people we used to become....Charlie's Angel's, She-ra/He-Man characters.  Anyway, these are some of the (partly subjective) observations I made:

1)  The invention of a special ability or power, that when watching them use it, makes it seem real.....and to them in that frame of time, it is!

2)  The non-verbal cues that seem to tell a sidekick what the "plan" is and the reading of each others body language can be very subtle yet quite effective. 

3)  The Girls:  huddle together and set up a plan of action, follow through with said plan, then pause to shout out what happens next.

The Boys:  add things in whenever they see fit, tell everyone the plan as they already begin implementing it or after the fact.

*This isn't always the case, but today it just happened to play out in such a way. 

4)  Phrases often uttered may include, but are not limited to:
"Pretend that (I), (you)....." , "....and then (I), (she/he), (they)...." , "....and now (you're), (I)...."

5) When it's all said and done, life is content, an hour seemed like 10 and memories have been rendered!

What observations have you made about super hero/fantasy play?  Got a anecdote to share, would love for you to post it here!

Until You Read Again....

Stacking Up, Up, Up

Throughout the school year a small handful of the ASC (after-school children) had turned some little cups that were suppose to hold beads, into a cup stacking activity.  Last week I added 60 more cups to the few we had and now it's one of the top 5 activities.  The stacks range from small to grandiose and challenges ensue to see whose stacks go highest or how intricate they can design them. The giggles, gasps and faces that follow a crashing of unbalanced cups, is priceless! 
Challenge:  Create stacks, towers and bridges using only the little plastic cups!

How will your creation stack up?

Until You Read Again......



Paper Tube Cuffs

The children had oodles of designing fun yesterday when they made paper tube cuffs and bracelets.
You can make them too with stuff you probablly already have handy!



Paper tubes and Scissors...

Collaging Materials...

....and Glue

Oooo Lala!

They spent a good part of an hour creating and kept coming back in between other play times to make more!

Hope this inspires you and your group.

Until You Read Again......