At our early childhood program, each day is filled with joy as we learn and explore alongside the children. Guided by a play-based emergent curriculum, we follow their interests, encouraging hands-on exploration that fosters creativity, problem-solving and social skills. Through sensory-rich activities, we make learning fun, memorable and deeply connected to their understanding of the world.
A Winter Day of Discovery
Fresh snow last week created the perfect setting for emergent learning. On our way to work, we saw the snowfall and knew the children would be excited to explore. We quickly gathered extra snow pants, boots and a sled, and prepared spray bottles filled with liquid watercolor along with paint cups and pipettes for an outdoor snow painting activity.
Getting dressed for winter play is a skill we’ve been practicing, and it has paid off—80% of our 3-5-year-olds can now zip their coats independently! The excitement of playing outside has been all the motivation they needed.
Once outside, the children eagerly transformed the snow into a vibrant canvas with their spray bottles and pipettes. Their excitement and curiosity filled the air:
- "How does that work?" – Leo
- "Oh, it turned red!" – Riley
- "It’s cold!" – Leo
- "Anyone have green?" – Emmi
- "There’s a bubble. It got on me." – Ella
- "Look at the colors! It’s like a rainbow!" – Mckenna
- "Oh, pink. My favorite color!" – Elsie
- "Do you want to help us? We are making pumpkin pie." – Oliver G.
The children also explored concepts of friction and inclined planes as they played with sleds and slides. They discovered how steeper slopes and smoother surfaces allowed for faster sledding, while flatter or rougher areas slowed them down. Their conversations reflected their natural curiosity and budding understanding of physics:
- "Why is the slide so fast?" – Mrs. Tamara
- "Because of the snow." – Leo
- "I’m scared to go too fast." – Owen L.
- "It’s going to be slippery." – Leo to Malikai
- "I just went so fast!" – Malikai
- "Can I pull?" – Leo
- "Here’s your first stop." – Hudson
- "You’re so strong!" – Oliver L.
- "This is hard work." – Wes (pulling)
- "Turn here. Go, go, again!" – Ember
- "Giddy up, giddy up, giddy up!" – Nixon
Physical Play and Imaginative Exploration
The children’s play extended to snow angels, footprints and snowmen, encouraging gross motor skills and body awareness. They stomped through snowdrifts, stretched to create snow angels and marveled at the snowy environment:
- "Look how much snow I have!" – Teddy
- "The snowiness!" – Jack Jack
- "Mrs. Tamara, I made an H." – Makenna
- "Me and Ember made an O." – Nixon
- "How about we make a snowman?" – Ella
- "We need sticks for the snowman." – Owen
- "Let’s spray colors on the snowman!" – Elsie
- "(Laughing) I made my whole name!" – Oliver L.
- "Did you know snow is actually water?" – Oliver L.
- Michelle asks how it turns into snow.
- "It’s so cold that it turns into snow." – Oliver L.
A Space for Every Child to Thrive
This experience was more than just play—it was a holistic learning opportunity that embraced the unique abilities of every child. Immersing children in nature provided rich sensory experiences like feeling the crunch of snow and observing vibrant colors, helping regulate their sensory systems and creating a calming, inclusive environment.
Tasks like building snowmen and pulling sleds fostered social skills and teamwork, while outdoor challenges encouraged problem-solving and adaptability. For neurodiverse children, these activities provided opportunities to engage in their own way, ensuring they thrived alongside their peers.
Celebrating Play-Based Learning
At the heart of our program is a steadfast commitment to empowering every child to explore, discover and learn. Moments like these capture the magic of our play-based, emergent curriculum. By following the children’s natural interests, we nurture curiosity, creativity and a love for learning. Every day in Early Childhood is an adventure, and we can’t wait to see what discoveries the next snowfall will bring!
