Preschool - What An Age!

At MOPS the other day we had four new children join us in the threes and fours class. Two of them were girls and two of them were boys. The girls came in hesitantly, looking around and down at their shoes, but finally joining in with the activities. It was open play with blocks, “sewing” [lacing] animal cards, or playing in the home center. One boy obviously didn’t want to come in. His Mom pushed him in ahead of her, handed us his things, introduced him to us and extricated herself. He promptly installed himself in the corner behind the door. The second boy wanted to go to a different room and wouldn’t come in the right room. His mother finally picked him up and brought him in. When she set him down, he physically attached himself to her leg. We tried to talk to him, show him fun things he could do, but he was uninterested. Finally his Mom said, “I’m just going to have to go.” She pulled off his arms and legs and we held him while she stepped out. He sat down right under the door knob and hid his face.

Knowing the two boys wouldn’t be taking part in the free play, we decided it was time to start club time. As we sang and learned the memory verse, the two boys got closer to the group until they joined them on the carpet. Though they didn’t know a lot of the songs or activities, they listened and participated a little here and there. The new girls took part like they had been there before.

One of the children is a young 3-year old boy. He doesn’t speak very clearly or very much and often spends time rolling around on the floor. At the end of our class time I usually try to do an activity that will work even as children leave one by one as their Moms come. There is a game I found that every preschool group I have played it with has loved. The teacher sings, “The children are sleeping, the children are sleeping, the children are sleeping, and when they woke up they were: [name of common animal]” The children lay down and pretend to sleep until the animal is announced and then they begin to sound and act like that animal. As soon as I finished explaining it to the children, the young three-year-old declared he didn’t want to play. He looked like he was about to burst into a huge “cry.” My helper discerned it may be the sleeping part – he was afraid it meant he had to take a nap! I said he didn’t have to play and he stood right beside me holding my hand when we started. One of the new boys and one of the new girls also declared they didn’t want to play. I said that was fine and they stood next to me and the 3-year old.

The game began. The other children were having a great time. The new boy who wasn’t playing would look at me after each animal was called. He had a huge smile and would begin laughing as the children acted out the animals. Each time he would say to me, “That’s so funny!” He was almost bent over with laughter at one point! Eventually he and the new girl joined into the game. But the 3-year old ran from me and started crawling under the table about to cry again. I thought maybe it was the noise. I said to the others, “Let’s play the game quietly so we don’t scare him.” I knew the game was always quite loud, so I wasn’t sure that this would work. I sang the song and said, “and when they woke up they were quiet lions!” All the children walked around on all fours whispering, “roar, roar!” They were doing it – being quiet! But the 3-year old still looked like he was going to have a crying attack. My helper said again that she thought it was the “sleeping” that was bothering him. The children were having such fun, that I hated to stop. So, I sang, “The children are [pause], the children are [pause], the children are [pause], and when they woke up . . . . “ It worked! Instead of crying, the 3-year old started to smile and then to laugh. The children played just as if I was singing the whole song AND they continued to play quietly!

Preschoolers – they’re great!