Let's Pretend

I'm taking my class to Florida this week. Just the two teachers and 18 three, four, and five year olds. We will be leaving by airplane on Tuesday morning. While we are there, we hope to get some beach time, go to the horse races, ride a boat and a dolphin, find shells, and see an alligator. We are all quite excited and the best thing is the trip will cost us nothing. You see, we are pretending. We've convinced just about everyone. We've even had a few parents ask,"Just where are you going on this field trip?" I can't wait until the director finds out- she told me to limit field trips due to the cost of gasoline.


You might be wondering why should we bother. A trip to Florida, even an imaginary one is a lot of work. Yes, it is, but it is also well worth the effort. Did you ever notice that the children who are the most socially emotionally competent are often the great at pretend play? I have no scientific study to show you, but many times it works out that way. Did you ever see a shy child who loves to pretend with an imaginary friend? My guess is she is practicing for the real world. Children learn a lot about how the world works during pretend play. They learn how to interact with others, what to expect from others, how to proceed through daily activities. They can practice emotions in a safe environment. When we leave for Florida, we will be able to wave good bye to home knowing that at the end of the day, we will be back in our own beds. The children will be able to safely experience what it might be like to stay in a motel or tent. They can listen as others talk about going in the water, playing in the sand, and waiting for a turn to play golf. It is not only the social emotional skills, the opportunities for learning in all areas are enormous. Vocabulary building, understanding the purpose of reading and writing, and using using math skills are only a few of our objectives for this trip.


I've noticed that some of our children don't get as much pretend play as others. These are the children who need it most. Vivian Paley said we need to find a way to pull all the children into the life of the class. When you do a class experience such as this, it is easy to pull them in. They will get on the imaginary plane and be served food by the stewardess. We can coax these children along and they may receive even more of the benefits than those who are already good at pretend play.



Of course you don't have to go clear to Florida to have a class pretend experience, some years we go on a camping trip. Later this year, we will put on a circus. Just the other week, we invited another class to a tea party. And parents can do the same thing at home. Capitalize on your child's interest by taking a trip to the moon, back in time to see the dinosaurs, or to the farm.

So don't wait for the weather to provide a cure for cabin fever, provide your own imaginary diversion. Meanwhile watch your mailbox. There should be a lot of postcards from Florida in the mail next week.