Tuesday, June 15, 2010

We Play - Schools


My secondborn, now 5, will be starting school next January. Both she and her almost-7-year-old sister (who's in her second year of school) are getting very excited about that fact. The girls, while they have their share of sibling moments, are very close, and they miss each other when A, the eldest, is away for 6 hours a day at school. They are already plotting the games they'll play and the fun they'll have sharing recess and lunchtimes, and A is vowing to take care of E (the younger one) "ALL the time!"

As part of this school-preparation excitement, this week, A and E have started playing schools at home. A, who is convinced that her little sister is brilliant and perfectly capable of learning all the same things she is learning, has been spending patient hours sitting with E and their maths cards, going through times tables; reading to her sister, and getting E to read words back to her; and teaching her school protocols (they insisted on having their sandwiches on the weekend in school lunchboxes and timed their eating to the length of the lunch session at school!)

This is play that they have initiated themselves and involves both role-playing / norming behavioural play as well as keying into core interests for them both. A is loving the opportunity to teach what she knows to E, and is doing so with remarkable gentleness for a child her age. E is basking in her big sister's encouragement and between A's sessions and the phonics she & I work on together most days, she's reading (albeit haltingly) now.


I think it is great for kids to be able to recast their daily experiences through play and to be able to reinforce what they are learning by passing it on. It is benefiting them both, this schooly play.

10 comments:

  1. This used to be my favourite game ever! I just adored assigning homework to my sister, playing teacher and then changing roles and sitting down to some quiet work myself. Looks like they really enjoyed themselves. xo m.

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  2. My nearly seven year old loves to play schools also, especially when his Grandma (a former teacher) comes to visit. He is especially fond of using the pointer on his charts, labelling pictures, handing out stickers and stamps and giving out detention slips!

    Nic@ourparklife

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  3. I love the way your girls are so bonded in this. I simply remember being frustrated in this activity with my siblings, probably because I loved school and learning so much!

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  4. How gorgeous are your girls that they miss each other while A is away at school?!
    What a great job you have done raising girls that truly care so deeply for each other. x

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  5. It is wonderful when all siblings attend school together.My four are finally in primary school together and I'm loving it and so are they!

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  6. My grandsons are just like your girls. The older one is very protective. They are 12 & 9 years. They even choose to still share a bedroom.

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  7. Can you tell me what phonics books/tools you are using with your 5 year old? Thanks.

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