Often my job takes me to pre-schools, to work and play with under 5s. Children get excited about so many great things at this age: worms in mud, big welly splashes and interesting sounds in the sky. Play-dough can be a million different things, and Brio never gets old. Playmobil people explore the murky depths of oceans, and plastic digger trucks brave the deadliest roads in the desert.
There are endless things to talk about. In-depth discussions are held on the subject of water bottles and bananas. Grand plans are devised on giving the dinosaurs a train ride, or seeing how many Duplo pieces will fit inside the toy oven. Big decisions are made on the day’s costume choice, who has the next turn on the trike ramp, or whether that tower will hold just one more brick.
Pre-school is great fun and important work for these busy minds. The exploring, experimenting and negotiating involved in their everyday activities sets them up for a lifetime of learning. We all learn best when we’re having fun. It’s fantastic to see the big things happening to these little people.