Learningames for threes and fours: Adult-child play

Abstract

A recent national survey has proven that all young children need to feel confident in themselves and in what they do. The best people to promote this feeling of well-being are teachers and parents. These activities have been written to help adults develop a child's self-worth through directed play. Appropriate for boys and girls, the games may be played on three levels: as everyday enrichment activities, as preschool educational experiences, and as just plain fun. They can be played in child care situations or at home. Learningames emphasize noncompetitive games, stressing each child's uniqueness and abilities to problem solve in a non-threatening way while learning the essential daily and early-learning skills. These games have been proven to be meaningful ones with developmentally handicapped children, as well as with normal children.