I Do What You Do

Young children learn in so many ways! Keenly observant, they watch what is happening around them and then experiment with replicating what they see and experience.

The children of the Zebra group have taken the observations of their day-to-day lives and turned them into purposeful solitary and social play. This is the age when the children are becoming more and more interested in interacting with their peers and "cooperative" (or group) play is the next natural stage in their development and learning. For example, the children are often seen in the dramatic play area feeding one another, using bowls full of pretend delicacies as they may have seen their caregivers or parents do with them. Some children will give each other loving hugs and make a" meal" together in the kitchen area. Increasingly complex cooperative play begins as children share pots and pans to make whatever yummy dish they have on the menu.

Near and dear to the hearts of toddlers, and often the focus of their blossoming social play, are the things that happen in their daily lives. Children take in the actions of their parents, siblings, and caregivers and imitate them in their play. To encourage them, the teachers have put out clothing for the children, such as hats, scarves, shoes, and purses. The shoes and purses are some of the biggest hits as children will put on shoes and will take a purse or bag with them as they race across the yard, yelling "Bye!" to their peers and teachers. Obviously, the children have experience with parents saying "goodbye" or teachers saying, "Be right back!" when they leave the children's area. Children also take the dishes they have used in their play and "wash" them in the kitchen sink as they have seen their parents do in their own household.

"Young children are always learning, always observing, and taking things in from all of us," said Lead Teacher Josie Valadez.

Children mimic the people and animals they may see in their daily lives, including their teachers at the CEC. Baby dolls are a tremendous example of the children mimicking their teachers' actions and showing that they watch everything the teachers do. For example, teachers will pat each child's back or read them a book to help them fall asleep at nap time. The children have taken in these actions and can now be seen patting baby dolls on the back or reading them books and tucking them in. The children will even take the baby dolls into the kitchen to feed them a "meal" or use the table to change their diapers. Children will even help clean up after snack time, as they have seen their teachers do hundreds of times, wiping off the tables with -cloths or sweeping the floor with tiny brooms. The teachers welcome this as evidence of children's growth and will continue to support the next stages of children's play and learning in the months to come. They will do this by adding more complex materials, infusing additional vocabulary, and facilitating social interactions between children. Observing toddlers as they observe you is fascinating!