Children’s playtime should always be learning time. Parents, teachers and caregivers can conveniently accelerate three, four, five, six and seven-year old child development skills during playtime in:
Mathematical thinking, language development, emotional development, social development, small muscle development and large muscle development providing activities such as:

1. Play Grocery Store-- save empty food boxes such as oatmeal, graham cracker, salt, and pepper---any container that does not have sharp edges and make sure they are completely empty and clean. Children can make their own grocery store and label the cost of each item by writing the price on the item with a marker. Play store is a fun way for the age group 3-9 to understand words as symbols, and costs associated with food items. Inexpensive play money comes with a play cash register and is used to make change when a sibling or friend (customer) buys from the play store. Children can take turns being customer and clerk. This playtime activity develops all of the child development skills listed above.

2. Play Clothing Store—Use clothes that are not for special occasions and are in different sizes. Children can also pretend it is a rummage or garage sale. They can decide on prices and use stickers to adhere to the clothes. The same play cash register and play money work perfectly. Save sacks for children to use to put the clothing in that they are selling to each other. This activity addresses all of the child development skills listed above as well. As a child, playing store was my favorite activity. My siblings and I did not realize the enormous impact these games had on us until we were older.

3. Play School—Another great favorite of mine! Children can take turns being the teacher and presenting a lesson. As teacher, they are keeping the classroom under control and encouraging their students to follow the rules. They are playing the role of teacher and learner and they are teaching and learning themselves. Find a blackboard at a flea market or garage sale. Chalk is inexpensive and means so much to the children to be able to use it (like a real teacher). A dry-erase board is another option with dry-erase markers. A simple wash cloth will erase great if an eraser is not handy. Help children locate books that they will be able to read easily to develop the lesson plans and homework. Take turns being teacher and coming up with consequences for breaking any rules such as: staying 10 minutes after class for disrupting behavior during class or talking it out with teacher and discussing choices. This play activity addresses all of the child development skills listed above.

These are only a few of the games I used to play as a child that taught my siblings and me so much more than we realized. Rather than expensive or elaborate games that are bought in stores, if children devise their own such as the ones mentioned here, they are more important to them. The children themselves develop their own fun and learning.
Children have wonderful imaginations and if allowed to use them in an educational approach will astound you and them!

Brenda Geier
K-12 Reading Specialist and Highly Qualified Educator. Ms. Geier teaches globally at www.childfont.com