Block 1: Week 2


 In this week, we engaged in neuro-dramatic play activities that involved both physical movement and imagination. We began by standing in a circle and warming up our bodies by shaking our arms, hands, and feet in different directions. This helped us to relax, focus, and prepare for play. We then played different games, such as the 'picking up fruits' activity where we stretched our legs high and used our bodies creatively while pretending to collect and deliver fruit. We also did a mirror hand game in pairs, following each other's movements, and later created a short play that included a challenge and resolution. These activities reflect principles from Sue Jennings' nuero-dramatic play, which emphasises movement, imagination, and emotional expression as key to development.

Play among young people in South Africa does seem to be diminishing, especially due to increased screen time and academic pressure. I agree with Peter Gray that reduced play limits children's social and emotional development because they have fewer opportunities to explore, create, and solve problems independently. 

Directed play is structured and guided by an adult with clear rules and outcomes, while non-directed or free play is spontaneous, child-led, and allows for creativity and independence. Free play supports imagination and decision-making which aligns with Jean Piaget's idea that children actively construct knowledge through exploration. Personal play: I enjoyed skipping rope, where i used my body movement and rhythm to play and challenge myself. Projected play: I enjoyed playing house, where i used dolls to act out family roles and real-life situations.

Brian Way (1967) describes concentration as the ability of a child to become deeply focused during play, while Peter Slade (1954) refers to absorption and sincerity as the child's full emotional and imaginative involvement in play.  These ideas are closely related because both highlight how children become fully engaged mentally and emotionally when they are truly involved in play.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Block 1: Week 1

Image
Play is an active and meaningful process where children explore, imagine, and make sense of their experiences in a fun and engaging way. It allows them to express themselves freely while learning about world around them. We did engage in play during our first class. For example, we moved around the classroom and participated in games led by the teacher. These activities were enjoyable and interactive, and they allowed us to experience learning through doing rather than just listening. This showed that play can be used as a teaching strategy to promote participation and engagement.  Neuro- dramatic play is a type of play that supports brain development through movement, imagination, emotional expression, and social interaction. It helps children build strong connections between thinking, feeling, and acting, which are important for healthy development and learning. We did engage in nuero-dramatic play. The games we played involved movement, interaction, and emotional engagement, whi...
Read more

Block 2: Week 2

The story i remembered from childhood are imaginative. Animal stories like " uNogwaja no Fudu" use animals to represent human behaviour.  What makes this story memorable is its clear metaphor. On the surface, it is just about a race between a fast Nogwaja and a slow ufudu. But, as explained in Burn's ideas about storytelling, the deeper meaning is what stays with us. The Nogwaja represents overconfidence and carelessness, while the tortoise represents patience, determination, and consistency. The metaphor " slow and steady wins race" teaches that success is not always about being the fastest or most talented, but about working steadily and not giving up.  According to Burns, stories help children understand life lessons through symbols and familiar situations. In this story, the race symbolises challenges in real life, like schoolwork or personal goals. Even as children, we begin to connect this to our own experiences. For example, learning that taking your time...
Read more