There are many times when you might have a large group on Zoom, and it might seem quite tricky to think of games that would work well for this number of people. I’ve been a teacher for the last 12 years, and recently I’ve had to adapt some classic face-to-face games that have always worked …
There are lots of fantastic drawing games that work really well over Zoom. These develop artistic skills, as well as being brilliant team-builders and developing a sense of fun and teamwork. I’ve been a teacher for the last 12 years, and in that time I have tried all sorts of team drawing games, that now …
You may have noticed that some children will spend hours pouring water onto the mud and giving it a good stir! Or they will love watching the snow melt, crunching it up until all that’s left is water. Well, there’s a reason for these behaviors…they are a transformation schema in action. A transformation schema is …
If you’ve ever wondered why some children spend pretty much all their time moving objects around a room, then it’s this…transporting schemas. A transporting schema is an interest in carrying an item from one place to another. By doing this, children are learning many things, including understanding about journeys, distance, and where things belong. I …
Orientation schemas are when children are interested in learning about how objects look from different angles. Do you have a child that enjoys lying with their head on the floor as they play with toy cars? Or like to look through their legs at things? These are both orientation schema behaviors in action. Rotation schemas …
Ever wondered why some young children seem to spend a huge amount of time and effort in placing objects in a line side by side? It’s called a positioning schema, and it’s a very common behavior that you will see often. A positioning schema is when a child is interested in experimenting with order and …
Rotation schemas are really common, and many children exhibit this repeating behavior pattern. I’ve taught in the early childhood phase for 12 years, and in that time I have trained myself to first look out for schemas, and second to act on them. Rotation schemas can be supported through so many different activities – whether …
In my twelve years of teaching children aged 3 to 5, I’ve used transient art opportunities in my learning environment more or less continually. It’s just fantastic! It offers a way of: Constructing and deconstructing Exploring ideas Experimenting with shape and form Storytelling Talking through their ideas Being creative And exploring famous art and artists …
Hot potato is a fun circle game, that helps children develop a range of skills such as turn-taking, cooperation, and teamwork. As an early education teacher for the last 12 years, I’ve played Hot Potato many times, and I’ve also tried numerous variations of the game. Varying the original game keeps it exciting and fresh. …
When I was young, Red Rover was one of our favorite games. Now that I’m a teacher, I’ve recently seen some children starting to play it again at lunchtime. It brought it all back! Plus it got me thinking about all the variations that you can do of the Red Rover game, as well as …