I try to make sure that the items that I purchase for use in my classroom are multi-functional and the best of their kind. My goal is only to purchase things for them that I would love to have my own children use someday. Some people call me crazy when I have an amazon wishlist of high quality children’s toys, games, and books for my classroom and then tell my family that gifts off of that wishlist would be as exciting as gifts off of my personal wishlist.
But they don’t see this…..
A student who uses the foam letters in the large floor puzzle to spell his name – spontaneously, with no prompting, during the free play time he earned. My kids don’t realize how much they are learning when they “play” in my room, but I love seeing them play with learning toys. They are learning to love learning – even though it is hard!
This same little guy has a favorite activity in my room. He uses the Melissa and Doug train (by the way, I love all things Melissa and Doug!) to practice fine motor skills and problem solving while stacking all the parts together. Then he drives the train over the foam puzzle number line and says each number as he drives over it. Again, this is not prompted work – he is playing. But in an environment where he has excellent learning toys to use – he chooses to learn!
