Playful Learning Activities for Preschool 3-Year-Olds

Activity 1: Guided Play Activity

1. Activity Name: Shape Scavenger Hunt
2. Subject: Mathematics
3. Topic or Thematic Area: Geometry and Shape Recognition
4. Age Group: Preschool 3s
5. Standards:
   3. Play Approach Standard:P.PK3.1 – With guidance and support, cooperate with peers during play by taking turns, sharing materials, and inviting others to play.
   4. Mathematics Standard:G.PK3.1 – With guidance and support, correctly name circles, squares, and triangles.
   5. Physical Development Standards:
      3. Gross Motor Skills: PD.GM.PK3.2 – With guidance and support, demonstrate the coordination of large muscles to perform simple motor tasks (e.g., climbing, jumping, stretching, twisting, throwing a ball).
      4. Fine Motor Skills: PD.FM.PK3.2 – With guidance and support, demonstrate emerging (developing) fine muscle coordination using manipulative materials that vary in size, shape, and skill requirement (e.g., press individual computer keys on a keyboard and use clay to form shapes).
   6. Objective: Children will associate different shapes with their names while participating in team play. This activity aims to improve their mathematical skills and gross motor coordination through an interactive scavenger hunt.
   7. Assessment: While the activity is happening, I will casually evaluate children’s skills in recognizing and naming the shapes they come across. I will track their participation rates and their involvement alongside their interactions with one another (Hedegaard, 2020). After the event, I will inquire about learning reinforcement with the questions, “What shape did you find?” and “Would you be able to say something about that shape?”
   8. Grouping: Students will be grouped into small teams of 3-4, improving their collaboration and supporting sharing. This group size permits successful communication among peers and also provides each child with the chance to participate actively.
   9. Location: Within this activity, children will engage in the activity in either the outdoor play area or a classroom section that supports exploration and movement.
   10. Time Needed: Thirty minutes will be set aside for the scavenger hunt, along with time for both the introduction and the closure.
   11. Materials Needed:
       1. Design flashcards (representative of a circle, square, triangle, etc.)
       2. Baskets or bags meant for collecting shapes
       3. Crayons or markers for children to illustrate the shapes they recognize
       4. A list of shapes for children to tick off as they come across them
   12. Introduction: I will have the children sit in a circle while I discuss shapes with the help of the flashcards. Every shape will appear and have its name, and I will clarify that they will conduct a scavenger hunt to identify items that match these shapes. I will stimulate enthusiasm by saying, “Today, we will all act as shape detectives.”
   13. Procedures:
       1. After the introduction, I will split the children into small teams and mark out specific areas of the playground or classroom for each team to look at.
       2. Every group will get a basket along with a checklist that shows the shapes they need to look for.
       3. I will inspire the children to collaborate in identifying items that match the flashcards, pushing them to articulate what they learn from their findings.
       4. As I follow their search, I will switch among the groups, inspiring conversations about shapes and helping when it is essential.
       5. We will meet as a large group to talk about what we found after the scavenger hunt.
   14. Closure: I will assemble the children again in a circle and ask each group to express one shape they found along with the item that signifies that shape. We will analyze the group of names for the shapes, concentrating on their qualities, which include the number of sides and corners.
   15. Differentiation: I will unite the children in need of additional assistance with a confident person to motivate teamwork. I propose a task for experienced learners that invites them to identify a range of shapes in different colors and sizes to strengthen their critical thinking about shapes (Superti Pantoja et al., 2020).

Activity 2: Game Activity

1. Activity Name: Shape Relay Race
2. Subject: Mathematics
3. Topic or Thematic Area: Shape Recognition and Physical Activity
4. Age Group: Preschool 3s
5. Standards:
   3. Play Approach Standard:P.PK3.4 – With guidance and support, demonstrate engagement in various stages of play (e.g., solitary, parallel, collaborative).
   4. Mathematics Standard:MD.PK3.5 – With guidance and support, sort, categorize, match, or classify objects (e.g., size, shape, primary colors).
   5. Physical Development Standards:
      3. Gross Motor Skills: PD.GM.PK3.2 – With guidance and support, demonstrate the coordination of large muscles to perform simple motor tasks (e.g., climbing, jumping, stretching, twisting, throwing a ball).
      4. Self-Care, Health, and Safety Skills: PD.SHS.PK3.1 – With guidance and support, identify and follow safety rules (e.g., classroom, home, community).
   6. Objective: A relay race that incorporates play and exercise will help children develop the skill to classify and sort shapes as they engage in mathematical education.
   7. Assessment: I will observe the children racing, making notes of their talent in distinguishing and organizing the shapes correctly. I will be tracking their levels of collaboration and communication throughout the game, with an emphasis on how well they can follow instructions and work with others.
   8. Grouping: To enhance teamwork and collaborative learning, I will assemble children into teams of 4-5. Every collection will meet to end the relay, supporting the interaction and cohesion of its members.
   9. Location: Exercise and movement will take place in a playground or gymnasium, delivered outside.
   10. Time Needed: This will consist of a 30-minute event, which will include the introduction, gameplay, and the end.
   11. Materials Needed:
       1. Fashion design cones or signs that highlight a range of shapes (circle, triangle, square, and others).
       2. Stopwatch for timing the relay race (not necessary)
   12. Introduction: I will bring the children together and explain the rules for the shape relay race. I will illustrate how to take a shape and deliver it back to their team, sorting it into the right bin. During the entire race, there will be importance laid on collaborative work and strict adherence to safety protocols.
   13. Procedures:
       1. Create a marked area a few feet away from a starting point using shape cones or other available markers.
       2. All teams will stand behind the starting line. On my cue, the first child from each team will make a run for the shape markers, grab one, and return to their team.
       3. The next child in the queue will go once they return. This ongoing process lasts until all shapes are available.
       4. After amassing all the shapes, teams will categorize them into the right bins according to their attributes.
       5. I aim to connect and provide inspiration, seeking answers that are open-ended about the types of data they are collecting.
   14. Closure: After the final leg of the relay, I will have a meeting and evaluate the shapes the teams produced. We will cover what shapes were hard or easy to locate and the reasons behind this, supporting their learning through group dialogues.
   15. Differentiation: Children needing more support will receive a particular shape to search for alongside visual aids from me. For knowledgeable learners, I can present new shapes or invite them to design a pattern using the shapes they collected, inspiring them to think critically regarding their organization. Concentrating on learning that is playful through these organized activities helps develop rich experiences that encourage both mathematical comprehension and physical development. Every effort stresses the need for collaboration, communication, and essential thinking skills, all important competencies for young children (Hirsh-Pasek et al., 2020). These engaging and interactive approaches help build a strong love for learning that aids children in their educational experiences.

References

Hedegaard, M. (2020). Children’s exploration is a key in children’s play and learning activity in social and cultural formation. Children’s Exploration and Cultural Formation, 11.

Hirsh-Pasek, K., Hadani, H. S., Blinkoff, E., & Golinkoff, R. M. (2020). A new path to education reform: Playful learning promotes 21st-century skills in school and beyond. Policy Brief.

Superti Pantoja, L., Diederich, K., Crawford, L., Corbett, M., Klemm, S., Peterman, K., … & Hourcade, J. P. (2020, April). Play-based design: Giving 3-to 4-year-old children a voice in the design process. In Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1-14).

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Module 6 – Lesson Plan Assignment – Playful Learning Is Critical

Playful Learning Is Critical

Book: Yuzu Reader: Guiding Children’s Social Development and Learning: Theory and Skills

Yuzu Reader: Guiding Children’s Social Development and Learning: Theory and Skills

READ THIS ARTICLE COMPLETELY:  Zosh, J. M., Gaudreau, C., Golinkoff, R. M., & Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2022). The power of playful learning in the early childhood setting. Young Children, 77(2). https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/summer2022/power-playful-learningLinks to an external site.

This article emphasizes the critical role of playful learning in early childhood education. The authors advocate for an approach where play and learning are intertwined, arguing that this method engages children and promotes deep learning. Playful learning fosters key developmental domains, including cognitive, social, emotional, and physical growth.

Key points include:

1. The Importance of Play: Play is a natural and essential part of children’s lives, helping them to explore, experiment, and learn about the world. The article stresses that play-based learning supports the development of foundational skills like communication, problem-solving, and collaboration.
2. Play and Learning are Not Separate: The authors challenge the misconception that play is separate from learning, showing that children can achieve significant academic and life skills through well-designed, playful experiences. These experiences can promote literacy, math, and science understanding in engaging, interactive ways.
3. Different Types of Play: The article identifies various forms of play, such as free play, guided play, and games with rules, each offering unique benefits. While free play encourages creativity and independence, guided play allows educators to introduce learning goals subtly while preserving the child’s sense of autonomy.
4. Research Support: The article draws on research demonstrating that playful learning enhances attention, engagement, and memory retention. Through play, children develop executive function skills, like self-regulation and planning, which are critical for future academic success.
5. The Educator’s Role: Educators play a pivotal role in creating environments that support playful learning. Teachers are encouraged to integrate play into everyday activities while carefully guiding children’s learning to ensure alignment with educational goals.

We must ensure all families, educators, and policymakers recognize the value of play in early childhood settings and embrace playful learning as a key strategy in promoting children’s holistic development.

Assignment: Developing Activities for Preschool 3-Year-Olds:  Creating Guided Play or Games for Your Classroom Using Physical Development and Mathematics Standards

Purpose: The goal of this assignment is for students to apply their understanding of play by designing engaging activities that teach young children mathematics while using gross motor skills, fine motor skills, and self-care, health, and safety skills.

Assignment Instructions: Pretend you are teaching a high-quality preschool classroom, with most students ages 3-4 in the fall season. 

Your objective is to create a series of activities that help young children develop their mathematics and physical development College and Career Readiness Standards through play-based guided activities and games.

You will design **two activities** to teach mathematics and physical development through play as the approach to learning.

The standards are found: https://mdek12.org/sites/default/files/els_observational_and_performance_base_checklist_for_3yo_final_05.05.2021_jg.docxLinks to an external site.

PLAY as an Approach to Learning from the Mississippi Early Learning Standards (Must use 1 per activity)

• P.PK3.1    With guidance and support, cooperate with peers during play by taking turns, sharing materials, and inviting others to play.  
• P.PK3.2   With guidance and support, initiate and make decisions regarding play and learning activities (e.g., choose learning centers and materials). 
• P.PK3.4    With guidance and support, demonstrate engagement in various stages of play (e.g., solitary, parallel, collaborative).  
• P.PK3.3    With guidance and support, begin to exhibit creativity and imagination in a variety of forms.
  

  Playful Learning Activities for Preschool 3-Year-Olds

   

Step-by-Step Assignment:

Activity 1: Read the article. Activity 1 should be a GUIDED PLAY activity.

You must use at least 1 Play Approach/Standard, 1 Mathematics Standard and 2 Physical Development Standards from the 3 Year Old Developmental Standards Checklist. You can be creative with your activity and outcome.

Activity 2: Read the article. Activity 2 should be a GAME activity.

You must use at least 1 Play Approach/Standard, 1 Mathematics Standard and 2 Physical Development Standards from the 3 Year Old Developmental Standards Checklist (Select DIFFERENT from what you used in Activity 1). You can be creative with your activity and outcome. The game can not be digital or tech-based.

Submission Requirements
List on your Word Document:

1. Activity Name
2. Subject
3. Topic or Thematic Area
4. Age Group: Preschool 3s
5. List your standards (1 Play, 1 Mathematics, 2 Physical minimum)
6. List your Objective
7. Write how you will informally assess during and after the activity or if you have it tied to classroom or school-based assessments.
8. How will you group the children for this activity?
9. When/Where will you do this activity? In a specific center, playground, small group, rug time?
10. How much time is necessary for this activity?
11. List the materials needed for this activity.
12. How will you introduce this activity?
13. What are the procedures for this activity?
14. How will you close out this activity?
15. What will you do if differentiation, remediation, or further advanced enrichment is needed to scaffold this activity?

Copy and paste this for Activity 1, then copy and paste and repeat for Activity 2.