A Day of Creative Indoor Play
Preschool
January 25, 2019
On January 17, Mountain class had a “Let’s Play Lots Indoors!” day in Japanese, even though the weather was fine.
Active outdoor play is very important, but so are becoming absorbed in something you love, turning ideas into real creations and communicating while playing with friends.
We prepared plenty of recycled materials, tape and paper so children could make whatever inspired them, in a place of their choice.
When we first asked, “What would you like to make?”, answers included airplanes and animals. From there, their ideas grew: animals live in a zoo; a zoo needs keepers, food and water. One thought led to another.
Because children could choose both their workspace and materials, we clearly explained the need to work safely and consider the friends around them before beginning.
Some children made things together, some concentrated on their own creations, and others chatted with nearby friends while working. Everyone enjoyed playing in their own way. When materials ran short, we often saw children offering some of their own supplies or sharing tape without needing an adult to organize it.
There were also many chances to think, “I want to do this, but it is not working. What can I try?” Experimenting with different materials helps develop thinking skills. Throughout the activity, we encouraged children to think for themselves, try out ideas and ask friends for help.
Although we did not go outside, nobody complained. The children looked satisfied with their day.
They decided for themselves whether to take their creations home or leave them at CGK to continue working on them.
Active outdoor play is very important, but so are becoming absorbed in something you love, turning ideas into real creations and communicating while playing with friends.
We prepared plenty of recycled materials, tape and paper so children could make whatever inspired them, in a place of their choice.
When we first asked, “What would you like to make?”, answers included airplanes and animals. From there, their ideas grew: animals live in a zoo; a zoo needs keepers, food and water. One thought led to another.
Because children could choose both their workspace and materials, we clearly explained the need to work safely and consider the friends around them before beginning.
Some children made things together, some concentrated on their own creations, and others chatted with nearby friends while working. Everyone enjoyed playing in their own way. When materials ran short, we often saw children offering some of their own supplies or sharing tape without needing an adult to organize it.
There were also many chances to think, “I want to do this, but it is not working. What can I try?” Experimenting with different materials helps develop thinking skills. Throughout the activity, we encouraged children to think for themselves, try out ideas and ask friends for help.
Although we did not go outside, nobody complained. The children looked satisfied with their day.
They decided for themselves whether to take their creations home or leave them at CGK to continue working on them.
Author Profile
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Reiko - Services and Community Coordinator Japan
Reiko joined CGK’s founding team in 2016, bringing seven years of experience in licensed nursery schools in Japan and six years across two international preschools. She has also volunteered at a daycare in Canada and has held preschool leadership roles at CGK, including Principal and Vice Principal.
A qualified nursery teacher and holder of a Class 2 kindergarten teaching license in Japan, Reiko values each child’s interests and strengths. Drawing on her experience in multicultural early childhood settings, she supports an environment where children can explore new interests through hands-on experiences and express themselves in their own way.