Structure or Free Play?

open ended questions with children

Children love to play and they can do it anywhere. Doesn’t matter if it is at home, at daycare, preschool, their Child Development Center or at a romantic dinner with Mommy & Daddy. They learn through play and other hands-on activities. So should children simply have free play all day? Or is a structured environment better?

We say a little bit of both.

They love to touch and feel. Run and jump. Sing and dance. This is how they learn – by doing. But children also love routines. Routines provide the structure and dependability that children need.

Here is a sample of a preschool schedule that provides hands-on learning and free play with structure.

Structure & Free Time Will Boost Your Child’s Learning Ability!

TimeActivity
6:30Arrival, breakfast, centers
8:30Story Time
9:00Bathroom
9:10Snack
9:30Circle Time
9:45Table Work Time
10:00Story Time
10:15Outdoor Play
11:00Learning centers
11:45Music & Movement
12:00Bathroom
12:10Lunch
12:45Bathroom
1:00Nap
3:00Bathroom
3:10Snack
3:30Outdoor or Indoor Play
4:15Outdoor or Indoor Play
5:00Bathroom
5:10Snack
5:30Story Time
5:45Table Toys
6:30Goodbye

Transitions between these activities will include creative developmental play in many different interest centers: table games, science centers, dress up centers, floor puzzles, table puzzles, library center, block center, rice and water tables, kitchen centers, make believe centers and much more. Times are approximate.

Jenni Rice - Owner & Director
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