When Joey turned four I reviewed the developmental stages of typical four-year-olds, and was reminded of how much this age group loves physical activity. Gross motor movement is not always easy to incorporate into my work with Joey because we spend so much time with him in his chair reading books and using his AAC device. I made a mental note to remind myself to plan activities that could be done down on the floor with Joey so that I could meet his four-year-old need for physical activity, while also working on some of our other goals. [Read more…]
Making Time for Play: Part 4 in Play Series
In the past few weeks we’ve looked at the definition of play, why it is important, and its developmental nature.
Although we know play is important, and that it develops in its own way, as adults we are often left wondering just how to support play development in our children. How do we honor true play at each developmental stage? How do we encourage the back and forth, reciprocal interactions that are so essential for developing neurological capacity? For Joey, it’s all about following his lead and responding to his interests. I often need to forget my own structured plan, and be willing to be a bit flexible in my hour with Joey so that I stretch out his happier moments into playful exchanges. [Read more…]
The Importance of Play: Play series part 2
I opened the cover of the shape book, held it up to my face, and gave Joey a quick smile through the cut out circle in the cover of the book. I’m not sure why I did it, but in the moment it had seemed like a silly interaction between reading different books. Not thinking anymore about it, I placed the book on his tray and turned around to get something else. When I turned back to Joey, he was holding the book up and grinning at me through the hole, with his eyes sparkling playfully. He quickly lost his grip on the awkward book, but he worked to turn the book from side to side and try to get his head back through the hole in the cover. He giggled and laughed throughout this experience, proud of himself for copying my joke, for surprising me, and for managing to get the book up in front of his face so many times. [Read more…]
What is play, and why is it important?
This is the first in a series on play.
P
lay: why it is important, how it develops, and what this means for Joey
Introduction
Much of what I hope to do with Joey and my work with our adapted readings is to foster his development through play. We learn about our world through play, and this play builds a foundation for our next developmental stages in life. In early childhood, play is often considered essential for creating a strong foundation for both learning and emotional regulation. [Read more…]
Play, Asking Questions, and Searching for Answers
F
or those of you who have been following this blog, you know that it is intended to capture Joey’s journey as we watch him develop and learn. Yet in many ways, this blog is documenting my own journey as his teacher as well. As I watch Joey learn and quickly grasp onto new tasks, I find myself asking many questions along the way about how best to apply what I already know about teaching children with disabilities and child development to Joey and his unique needs. [Read more…]
