Playgroups

The importance of play

Children develop social and cognitive skills through play. This is how they learn to manage their emotions, become more mature, gain confidence to try new experiences, and make sense of the world around them.

The Infants’ Home uses several teaching methods that are based on the premise that preschool children learn best through play.

We are also involved with many agencies to promote the idea that play is the natural way children learn.

Through play, children explore materials,  create, construct and discover.

Our teachers and educators see themselves more as facilitators of play rather than direct managers of play and learning. Our philosophy is that children should be involved in their own learning. 

Play is children's work

By the word 'play' we mean all activities of a young child. 

Exploratory play
The world of nature, the environment, people, exploring, visiting, excursions, senses

Creative play
Painting, finger painting, drawing, sand, clay, dough, water, music and movement

Dramatric play
Role playing, fantasy world, family play

Constructive play
Blocks, adventure with junk materials (large boxes etc), paper cutting and tearing, pasting, collage, destructive play

Manipulative play
Puzzles, jigsaws, beads, posting boxes, pegboards

Physical play
Indoor and outdoor play, bikes, climbing frames, slides, swings

Books and storytelling
Exploring books together; language, listening, concentration, colours, shapes, imagination and experience 

"You can learn more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation"
Plato