Hats and Balls, Oh My!
One of the best things about teaching in a parent participation preschool program is that it can bring out the playfulness of the adults who are participating. When the parents (and grandparents) are your co-teachers, they can take an activity in ways you may not have thought of.
One of my favorite memories was when I asked a grandparent named Ben to play a ball game with the children in our large block area. I expected him to have the children catch the large and small balls in many ways. What I did not expect was how Ben saw it. He went over to the dramatic play area and found all the hats. Each child chose a hat, and Ben invited them to use their hat to catch the ball. What followed was much laughter and sharing of hats – and some catching!
When I went over to the block area to see how the activity was going, Ben, with a big smile on his face, asked me, “Is this what you had in mind?” I told him he added a level of creativity and playfulness that I hadn’t considered! And what a way for children to see the playfulness of adults!
This article is part of our Newsletter 2025 Issue 2. See all articles.
