| Play
& Learn:
A motor-based preschool curriculum for children of All Abilities
By Mary J. Sullivan Coleman, OTR, MA and Laura Krueger, PT, MA A 12-month
motor-based preschool curriculum specifically developed for children
of All abilities! So EASY for educators, para professionals and other
classroom staff to understand and set up. The spiral bound book is packed
with more than 300 pages of theme-based activities that are highly engaging,
and relevant to young children. Each activity includes a "Try Another
Way" option that utilizes simple assistive technology so all students
can participate, communicate and learn. Meaningful activities focus
on basic routines, music, play, and social interaction with lots of
repetition. What's more, every activity includes easy-to-follow instructions
and a handy "What you'll need" list. With more than 260 activities at
your fingertips, you'll save time as you discover new ways to incorporate
assistive technology into your entire classroom.
What is Play & Learn?
Play & Learn is a motor-based preschool curriculum for children of ALL abilities
based on current research that emphasizes a holistic model in which the child,
environment and the functional tasks are integrated not isolated. It is also
an excellent example of universal design in action! The model for universal
design supports an environment where ALL children are included in the same
activities within the classroom. Play & Learn shows how to embed adaptations
and simple assistive technology into the classroom so all children can be
full participants in their educational environment. Play & Learn is a proven
12-month, theme-based curriculum that includes step by step instruction and
is full of over 260 activities that promote the development of the whole child.
Each activity includes a "Try Another Way" option that utilizes simple technology
so that all students can playfully participate, communicate and learn with
each other.
If you are interested in learning more about this quality preschool program,
check out the Frequently Asked Questions.
About The Authors
Together, Mary J. Sullivan Coleman and Laura Krueger have forty years of pediatric
experience; Laura as a physical therapist and Mary as an occupational therapist.
They have worked together since 1990. Since that time, they have completed
graduate school together, writing a joint thesis on motor development and
best practices for the inclusion of preschoolers with a wide range of special
needs. Play & Learn is the outgrowth of that research which showed that all
children learn cognitive, language and social skills more quickly when they
are interwoven with movement and meaningful play.
Mary and Laura have been using the Play & Learn curriculum for 10 years with
their team in the Normandy Park Center in White Bear Lake, MN. In addition
to their work at Normandy Park Education Center, Mary and Laura have written
articles, presented at national and local conferences and conducted workshops
on the topic of educating the whole child.
How Does Play & Learn Work?
Q: How is Play & Learn curriculum structured?
A: This twelve-month preschool curriculum provides a framework that
is organized to facilitate learning based on current research and monthly
theme-based activities that correlate with high quality literature books.
The structure includes eleven Play Areas and emphasizes the four key elements
necessary in a preschool learning environment. Each of the activity lessons
is supported with student photos that make the activities come to real life.
If you are interested in learning more about eleven Play Areas and Four Key
Elements in a preschool learning environment, check out the Frequently Asked
Questions.
Q: How many Monthly Themes are Included in the Play & Learn curriculum?
A: There are 12 monthly themes:
September: Welcome to School
October: Fall Colors
November: Celebrating Families
December: Holiday Dazzle
January: Winter Wonderland
February: Friends
March: Animals on Parade
April: Spring
May: All Kinds of Gardens
June: Summer Fun
July: Celebrate with a Parade
August: Exploring Our Environment
Q: What are the Play Areas included in the curriculum?
A: There are eleven Play Areas for each month:
Cooperative Project
Art in Process
Obstacle Course
Swing
Mat
Manipulatives
Gym
Pre-Writing on a Vertical Service
Cooperative Sensorimotor
Games
Q: What are the four key elements emphasized in Play & Learn?
A: Routines and Music, Repetition, Play and Social Interactions
Routines and Music: Routines and music each plays a significant role in creating
a predictable environment, which supports a child's learning. The Play & Learn
curriculum offers an array of music options and cooperative sensorimotor routines
that give structure to the schedule and the environment.
Repetition: Children learn to develop skill transference through repetition
of tasks that contain variation. You will find repetition with a variety throughout
tall the activities in the Play & Learn curriculum.
Play: Since work is child's play work, we know children stay motivated when
that are having fun. The Play & Learn curriculum is full of activities centered
on play. These fun activities enhance all developmental areas because children
are using multiple sensory systems for learning.
Social Interactions: Play & Learn incorporates the use of commercially available
preschool games throughout the curriculum, since these provide an excellent
way to promote natural social interactions. All of the 260 activities provide
an opportunity to expand social interactions and they have been design with
this in mind.
Q: How will I be able to include all my students even those within the severe
disability range?
A: It's easy with "Try Another Way."
Each activity is supported with a "Try Another Way" option, which reflects the
actual activity yet, includes a simple assistive technology solution for students
in the serve disability range. It is believed in an integrated setting, which
utilizes a transdisciplinary model of service delivery is the most effective
way to teach young children. The content of the curriculum includes a variety
of activities, which are meaningful, and relevant to young children, some of
which include simple technology tools. The activities have been carefully chosen
to meet the ability levels and needs of all students. Children in regular preschool
programs will benefit from the activities as well as children with delayed cognitive
development or physical disabilities.
Q: Does the Play & Learn curriculum provide data collection tools?
A: YES!
Play & Learn includes the Functional Motor Checklist for recording and sharing
student growth and progress, and is an excellent addition to other assessment
and data collection tools you may already have in place. The checklist addresses
a variety of times of day and skills used during those times and locations.
Q: What Support Materials are included?
A: There are several items that support the teaching of the themed-based
activities.
- Each month includes a recommended literature book list supporting the
monthly theme. Also included on the list are literature books that promote
disability awareness.
- Toys and Equipment Resource list to locate the teaching materials suggested
in the curriculum
- Reproducible patterns for supporting activities.
- Directions for creating:
- Adapted juice lids
- Adapted stamps
- Adapted sponges
- Adapted fishing pole
- Adapted magnetic stickers and Colorforms®
- Adapted felt materials
- And so much more…….
- Functional Motor Checklist for recording and sharing student growth and
progress.
Q: Will I be able to meet my students IEP goals
and objectives using this program?
A: Yes.
Play & Learn provides a framework with activities that are designed to
meet the developmental needs of all children; the typically developing child
as well as a child with special needs. All children can be involved in the
same activity when assistive technology is embedded into the classroom. In
the past, we used switches and voice output communication aides mainly for
our children with more severe disabilities, but we found this was just one
more thing that separated our students from their peers. Now, the switches
are out for everyone to use and it draws children together, while increasing
the opportunities for meaningful social interactions. We've learned that not
only can assistive technology benefit children with severe disabilities, but
it is also a useful learning tool for our students with autism, communications
disorders, and developmental delays, because it draws them into an activity
that they may have otherwise avoided. When children are playing and learning
together with developmentally appropriate learning materials, everyone benefits! Play & Learn Sample Lessons
Click here to download sample lessons from Play & Learn.
Play & Learn User Stories
Because of the Play & Learn curriculum, Danna's peers are more interested
in what she is doing and want to be her partner in activities. It brings
me great joy watching her react when she is interacting with her classmates.
This is when she really shines!
- Kari Anderson, Parent
As an Assistive Technology Consultant, I have supported and facilitated
the use of the Play and Learn curriculum in four of our Early Childhood
Special Education classrooms and in one regular daycare setting. The structure
and framework that the Play & Learn curriculum provides, allowed our
teachers to blend their favorite activities and ideas directly into the
monthly theme activities. Most importantly, I have observed that all of
our EC teachers have a much more purposeful thought process in regards to
what they are striving to accomplish throughout their daily activities.
There is now a "purpose" and "objective" to each and
every activity introduced to students.
- Julie Freed, Assistive Technology Consultant, Grant Wood Area Education
Agency, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
As an Occupational Therapist who has worked in hospitals, schools and outpatient
clinics for over 20 years, I found Play & Learn incredibly well done
and an excellent tool for providers and caregivers who support children
with disabilities in natural environments. The most beneficial aspect of
the Play & Learn activities was that there were "functional"
as well as "therapeutic activities." When accommodations are made
that allow children to engage in play, both
children with and without disabilities benefit as they learn to respect
differences and share common interests.
For parents of children with disabilities to witness their child in a natural
social situation where they are valued and allowed to be just a child like
any other child, enjoying childhood play, the benefits are seen in the smiles
on their faces as they witness the beginning of true friendship development
and a connection to the wider community in which they live.
- Mary Shea, Director of Site Development, Kids Included Together, San
Diego, CA
Available Play & Learn Workshops
Mary and Laura strongly believe that all young children learn best through
movement and meaningful play. All preschoolers love to paint, move and explore,
read a book, and play with their friends! During a one or two day workshop,
participants will learn how to use the Play & Learn curriculum as a framework
for teaching all young children. In addition, Play & Learn workshops illustrate
how to meet a wide range of goals and objectives for any child with special
needs.
During the workshop, activities from the 11 play areas will be demonstrated
for any typically developing preschool child, as well as a "Try Another
Way" option for a child who may need simple assistive technology or other
adaptations in order to participate in the same activity with his peers.
An interactive multi-media presentation including photos of children engaged
in Play & Learn activities illustrates the curriculum in action. Mary and
Laura also bring the latest toys, games, books, materials, and assistive technology
options for participants to see and try first-hand. Resources catalogs at each
table are provided so participants can easily know where to find and purchase
materials they might like to replicate in their own classroom.
Workshop Objectives
Sample Workshop Agenda
- Workshops are individually designed to meet the needs of your group. Follow
the link above to view a sample, one-day workshop agenda.
To request a workshop, contact Mary mcoleman@visi.com
or Laura ljnkrueger@aol.com via e-mail.
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