More about Tools of the Mindby Lyn Newton | More from this Blogger 07 Mar 2008 03:39 PM In my previous article I described a preschool program that actually asks children to do some paperwork before beginning to play. The program believes that this paperwork is important because children are no longer able to experience the type of play that once existed. At one point in time children could safely roam neighborhoods and play with neighbor children. The older children would help the younger children learn to deal with and regulate emotions, feelings, and behaviors. The environment was similar to that of a tribe or a pack. However today, we cannot safely let our children roam out on their own. Children use much of their time watching television or playing video games. While some children are involved in outdoor or indoor physical activities such as sports, these sports are usually related to a team. While the children are gaining physical activity, they are still being controlled and structured by adults. The children are not learning to deal with issues on their own. This can lead to trouble later in life. Children who do not learn to effectively deal with their feelings grow into adults who cannot cope with life's ups and downs. These children turn into school drop-outs, drugs, and possibly even suicide. The program, Tools of the Mind, helps children learn to stop and think and control their actions before carrying them out. One such activity to help with this lesson involves an old time favorite musical game of Freeze. During the Tools of the mind game o f Freeze, the children observe a particular emotion on a stick figure during the music. When it is time to freeze, the children must act out the pose of the figure. This game is intended to teach children to stop and observe before immediately acting or imitating others. Learn more about Lyn Newton  Lyn is a kindergarten teacher and mommy to a girl and a boy. In her spare time, she enjoys informative and creative writing. Relevanteducation tags User Comments jmholland (5) 19 Aug 2008 12:42 PMI wrote about this program briefly on my bog. It is great for preschoolers to plan, do and review. It is also great for them to have the opportunity to express themselves creatively. Good post. http://blogs.preknow.org/insideprek/ Discuss this article
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