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Module 4: Curriculum and Learning Environments

The Importance of Play for School Age Children

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School-age children come to the school-age program after a full day of “work” at school where most of their activities are planned and controlled by adults. By the time children arrive at the school-age program they need to burn off some steam. Therefore, it is important for children to spend a good deal of the time at the school-age program playing. Program staff should set-up activities with choices for children to pick from and staff to guide and direct children to these activities.

Play helps them grow in all areas. It gives children opportunities to develop physically, to think and solve problems, learn to express themselves in acceptable ways, and build self-esteem. Play is also one of the most important ways in which children develop social skills. They learn to take turns, negotiate, share materials, understand how friends feel, and express their emotions. In addition, play helps children tryout grown-up roles and overcome their fears.

School-age kids are physically proportioned more or less like adults. Their language skills still increase and their social patterns mature. Children this age love competitions, love to win – and learn to lose. To school children the distance to the recent preschool age is enormous. School children consider themselves BIG. Activities for this age group should signal that. These children like to show off, and provided they have developed normally till now, they are increasingly agile physically, as well as socially.

Children's play may include using their imaginations, organizing and leading others, researching special interests, making collections, playing board games, doing puzzles, working on crafts, using physical skills, or listening to music. The school-age program can offer children a change of pace. A place to relax, have fun, use their creativity, make their own decisions, practice and master skills, do things with other children, and do things by themselves.


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School-Age Staff 20 Hour Basic Training

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