Play Plans

We are encouraging children to plan for and reflect upon their playful learning in our classroom. Before children choose their activities we often have them engage in a 'think, pair, share' where they turn to an elbow partner (another child sitting close to them on the carpet) and discuss what they plan to do at center time. Today we encouraged the children to take this planning one step further and commit their ideas on paper in the form of a play plan. Children had to draw a picture and attempt to write words of what they were going to do. After the play period was over, we asked children to reflect on their play plans and discuss whether or not they actually followed through on what they had hoped to accomplish. Many children reported in our discussion that they had engaged in their intended activities. Those that did not explained how or why their plans became altered. We are hoping that by engaging our children in this reflective thinking we can help them become more accountable for their own learning, hear about one another's experiences in our classroom, and become inspired to try new activites in the future or enhance their engagement in old favourites. (Thanks to Mrs. Doyle for this amazing idea!)