What Happened?
During the program, the children seemed quite interested in exploring community helpers by using doctor's kit, trying on firefighters and police officers uniforms.
Child K was engaging in pretend playing in a police officer's uniform. He was holding a stop sign and said "Stop" to his peers who were running around. Another two children in the uniform were following each other with hand cuffs and communicating on the radio
In the home area, two children were role playing as nurses giving medicines to baby dolls. While another two children were using doctor's kit in doctor's gown. Child M pretends to check the baby dolls tummy with stethoscope, saying "yes".
So What: What can children learn from this experience?
From the observation, children took on different roles as community helpers, for instance, doctors, nurses, fire fighters and police officers. The children recalled their own life experiences when collaboratively playing in dramatic play with the use of doctor's kit, language as police officers and imitating their professional practices in the community.
Thus, children are able to enhance and build their developing skills. Such as, problem solving, language, communication skills. In addition, when children cooperatively engage in large group play, they are able to strengthen their critical and abstract thinking skills when using special terms with peers. But most of all, the children enjoyed the learning through play experiences.
Now What: How can we extend their experience and interest through the program?
The educator can extend the children experiences by cooperating in new materials that can enhance the play, for instance, having the children construct a hospital made out of cardboard and setting it up in the dramatic play area. Furthermore, reading stories that introduce a plot with community helpers, allowing the children to be exposed to other professional fields.
Connection to ELECT Framework
Co-operating: 1. Exchanging ideas and materials during play
2. Taking part in setting and following rules
Representation: 1. Dramatic play with a plot and imaginative features
2. Sustaining and extending their socio-dramatic play with language, additional ideas and props
Problem Solving: 1. Identifying problems
2. Taking action to solve problems