All About Playgroup - Playgroup Victoria

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LEARNING AND DEVELOPING THROUGHPLAYLogical/MathematicalLogical/mathematical intelligence is aboutconcepts, numbers and logical thinking.Babies and toddlers explore their world with thecuriosity of a scientist. They observe, touch, taste,smell and listen to test the properties of any object inreach.Concepts are formed as they arrange and rearrange,predict, classify, group things into sets, discoversequences, make patterns and solve problems.Through play children discover cause and effect andhow objects behave under certain circumstances. Theylearn that objects exist even when out of sight.As they gain language skills they express theseconcepts in words like ‘more’ or ‘less’, ‘empty’ or ‘full’.Counting becomes a game that can be reinforcedthrough songs and rhymes.Through pretend play, sometimes referred to assymbolic play, children learn that a symbol canrepresent or resemble an object e.g. two candles or thenumber two on a birthday cake or card representsbeing two years old.Developmental importanceLogical/mathematical activities encourage children to:• be innovative and curious• learn the relationship between cause and effect• explore and experiment though their five senses• acquire knowledge by figuring it out forthemselves• develop a love of learning through discovery• learn about how objects behave under differentcircumstances• develop concepts about their environment• solve their own problems creatively• think logically• be confident to predict and estimate• recognise, compare, sort and classify shapes andobjects• put objects in sets and match one-to-one• create and use symbols• have a positive self-esteem through satisfactionand achievement• develop number concepts and understandcounting.Basic equipment• Soft or wooden blocks with cube and other shapes• Bead frames, peg boards, stacking rings, threading,posting or sorting boxes• Jack-in-the box, simple matching games,construction toys, train sets with interlockingtracks• Sets of cars, trucks, farm animals, zoo animals,dinosaurs, sea creatures, soft toys or people• Birthday cake with candles• Picture dominoes, simple lotto games• Clocks, phone or cash register, balance scales• Different sized containers for water play, bucketsfor sand play, shapes for playdough• Cardboard boxes• Tea sets and sturdy plastic cutlery sets, magneticfishing game• Basic electronic toys• Balls and bean bags• Basic wooden puzzles or floor puzzles for shaperecognition, arranging smallest to largest,counting, sequences, sorting, matching,measuring, classifying and logical thinkingPopular logical/mathematical activities• Thread and create patterns with cotton reels, largebeads or buttons• Sort, pile, stack, order, count and knock downblocks or boxes• Cut, stick, glue, assemble, build and constructwith collage• Design, rearrange, make choices and produceoutcomes with sets of small toys• Build with construction toys• Explore, manipulate and discover cause and effectwith a variety of toys• Rearrange soft wooden or floor puzzles• Play simple board or card games• Discover the properties of water: full/empty,floating/sinking, wet/dry• Discover the volume/shape of playdough• Discover heavy/light, full/empty, concepts such ason, under, in sand play42 <strong>Playgroup</strong> Manual
LEARNING AND DEVELOPING THROUGHPLAYSpatialThis intelligence is picture orientated. It isabout shapes and forms and being able toperceive and recreate aspects of the visualworld accurately or abstractly.When children paint, draw, design and construct twoand three dimensional works of art, it is important togive them time to think about what they are going tocreate as they begin. Do not expect them to startstraight away, give them time to decide for themselves.Making children copy preplanned models by adultsdoes not encourage creativity and is likely to stiflechildren’s ideas.Create familiar spaces at playgroup by putting outsimilar play experiences each week in the same place.This will help children to visualise how their body fitsinto these spaces and give them confidence in beingable to find pathways independently to and from theirfavourite spaces.Imaginative and fantasy play builds a child’s capacityto think in images and pictures.Puzzles, blocks and construction toys help withdistinguishing form and shapes.Play with colours using paints, crayons, collage, light,shade, mirrors and shadows.Playing outdoors and going on excursions giveschildren the opportunity to gain both long distanceand close up perspectives. Draw children’s attention todistant visual experiences like clouds and aeroplanesto develop spatial concepts.• learn to express emotions using crayons, pencils,paint and colours• use tools skilfully• develop body awareness• develop boundary awareness of themselves andobjects in their environment• develop concepts of balance and symmetry• develop spatial awareness and avoid clumsiness.Popular spatial activities and equipment• Interlocking construction toys• Measure, mix, make, mould, push, squeeze, rolland stretch playdough• Make playdough and clay shapes with hands,simple tools or natural materials• Paint with fingers, brushes or rollers• Cut, tear, arrange and glue collage• Draw with chalk, crayons or charcoal• Stamp with blocks, vegetables, hands or feet• Stack and build with soft wooden or plasticblocks• Build shapes and objects with two and threedimensional construction sets• Play with tunnels, cubbies, tents, cardboard boxesor swings• Dress up in costumes, shoes, hats, ties and scarves• Use mirrors• Play with colour and colour mixing – coverwindows, make glasses, telescope or binocularswith cellophane paper• Observe patterns in a kaleidoscope• Mix and match colours with paints and puzzles• Screw and interlock large plastic nuts and bolts• Match, identify and fit shapes in posting boxesDevelopmental importanceSpatial activities encourage children to:• discover shape, size, texture, quantity andconsistency• experience how materials and colours changewhen mixed together• develop sensory awareness and have their sense oftouch stimulated• develop concentration and creativity• express ideas, feelings and inner emotions• learn how two and three dimensional pieces canfit together• develop skills with cutting, drawing, collage,painting, stamping and constructing<strong>Playgroup</strong> Manual 43
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All About Playgroup - Playgroup Victoria

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