Play and Emergent Curriculum Sylvia Kennedy-Godin August 20, 2019

Play is closely connected to both learning and development. Play allows children to make meaning of the world and supports all developmental domains. Yet the research shows there is an alarming trend of play disappearing from preschool classrooms. In this session, we will investigate our own beliefs and practices around play. Emergent curriculum can be used as a tool to enable play and learning through observation and scaffolding of children’s ideas and thinking. We will explore some of the foundational principles of emergent curriculum including: observational practices, documentation, including parents as partners, making connections with the community and building on children’s interests. We will also practice using webbing tools, and work on strategies to turn a child’s idea into a curriculum project.