Playing is Learning

For children playing is learning. Pretend play, acting roles, themes, performing arts they involve in a Learning activity. Children involved in body & mind coordination have polished writing, reading, socialising skills. They have better understanding of the world. Like John Holt said "Children use their fantasy to get into the real world & not to get out of it." By fantasy it means pretending that his toy is rescuing a lego person. My boys pretend to play with Train heroes. They create a problem and their Train heroes solve them. Children are very good Preoblem solvers. Hisham (my youngest son) was trying pass his train through the bridge. His train was crashing all the times. My oldest son, Zayd helped him. Children help themselves. And this is how they build relationships.
Zayd has been watching Thomas, the Tank Engine for 5 years now. Where he has taken his hero Thomas (The Tank engine) from a cartoon into real play is pretty astonishing. We provided him with wooden train tracks which creates the whole sodor city of trains. He is now learning Coding. Building train track is like coding.
Without any external influences children imitate their heroes. We are their heroes. And the stories they hear from us.
Salman Siddique (Educational Psychologist & Director of ERDC) says do not worry that your children do not pray. If we pray in front of them, then consider them that they will pray. This is Imitation. Children mimic facial expressions. They can deploy our shared feelings. Make them feel comfortable "to be themselves." All young children learn through meaningful hands-on experiences—through touching, doing, and moving. And children also learn through seeing and hearing. Children who are more tactile prefer activities. Projects that allow them to use their hands. My daughter prefers doodling or drawing to aid memory. She keeps a diary where she draws everything she wants to learn. Hisham, my 4 yrs old is a kinesthetic Learner. He learns through physical sensations and have trouble sitting still for long periods.
That's why we made them a gym at home. Hands-on exploration of their physical & mental senses. My daughter, 9 yrs old loves learning in groups and working with others, she is social learner. She enjoys collaborating with others, brainstorming, and discussing ideas. Combine study teaches children collaboration and team work. Despite of their differences, all children learn from experimentation and self realisation.
May Allah guide us to effective ways of teaching Ameen


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