play that can't be ignored

Here are a few photos that can't be ignored. S, A, and A were playing in block center last week. These girls love to frequent block center but often don't go there to do much building. I implement rules, like building first before using manipulatives like our rocks and animal figurines but to no avail they find a way to be in block center...not using blocks. It's a fine line to walk in the rules department. On this day I was peeking over their way often and their play scenarios just made me smile...here they are.


This is our "days of school" sculpture. Each day we add a new wooden shape to the sculpture. To do this I pick one stone out of a basket and we read whose name is on the stone. That person gets to pick their wooden piece and choose where it goes on the sculpture.


Here, is where the fun begins. While the girls are in block center they take turns being the teacher, choosing a rock from the basket and reading the name on the rock. Then...

The lucky person called gets to pick their wooden piece to add to the sculpture. Well, I guess I can't say they aren't building. They are...and their role playing is too fun to stop.

These photos were inspired by our field trip to CMA. The children had the opportunity to play with "flubber" at the museum and we wasted no time in making our own back in the classroom. I hope you tried this at home too, we sent home the recipe for flubber last week. If you need another copy ask us, we have more! You can also google flubber and find a 101 recipes, as long as you see glue, water, and Borax you know you've got the right one.