The Learning Ladder A Reading and Writing Curriculum for Early Care and Education Teachers, Children and Families

Facilitators of Play

As a teacher, you can help children with the way that they play. By giving this help or support you become a facilitator of play. Some of the ways teachers facilitate play include:

• asking questions. You may ask a child what happens when he or she mixes colors of paint at the easel.
• introducing new materials in the room. For example, you might improve or extend the play in the housekeeping area by adding a basin and a washcloth to the housekeeping area.
• involving yourself in the play. For example, you might play with children in the block area and encourage them to build something by handing them different blocks.
• observing and intervening. For example, children are beginning to fight with each other. You can watch, hoping that they can resolve the conflicts themselves or you might talk to the children and intervene to make sure no one gets hurt.

Below is a list of other things you can do in your classroom that will support children's play. However, there is one activity below that is not a good idea. Click next to the one that is not a good idea.

Below is the activity from the list that will not support children's play:

Fill the art shelves full of materials and give children many options.

This is not a very good idea because children should not have too many options when they are trying to decide what to do during free play.

Go to the next page to do activities for Part 4.

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