The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1919-07-18
WORK AND PLAY TOGETHER
BY MRS. PRESTON E. eAss.


Very little children of two and three
years require the companionship of
other children in work and play as
much as those of recognized kinder
garten age. The child of two is in
tensely interested in the activities of
children four, five and six years old,
and is able 10 initiate, enlarge his
knowledge and experience, and even
share in their activities. The activi-
ties of the adults about him, while they
can be initiated and in some measure
shared by him, cannot have the same
value in his mental or physical devel-
opment.
When daddy saws large board with
a large saw, the two-year-old Is inter-
ested; but when the four-year-old saws
small board with small saw, pos
sibly making some toy that will be
used by the little one, he is more than
interested-he saws wood as soon as
he can. Watch an adult try to amuse
this two-year-old with a new box of
blocks. Invariably the blocks are piled
high for steps, towers, arches and so
forth, and the little child finds great
delight in sending the blocks tumbling
with a crash to the floor. He takes
no particular pleasure in the building
of one block upon another, and we
think he has not yet reached the age
for building. Now the group of older
children making structures with these
same blocks do not pile them one up
on another, but lay them side by side,
to form the walls of a house for the
dell or a barn for the woolly dog. And
Immediately the little one is interest
ed, not in tumbling the blocks down,
however, but in laying them beside
each other, one after another.
In Any Home.
MANY mothers realize this need of
their children to have group activity,
but know of no way in which to bring
the group together until they are ready
for the regular kindergarten. 1t can
be accomplished in almost any home,
however, If the mother is willing to de-
vote few hours a day to working
and playing with the children in the
immediate neighborhood under school
age, or those at home for the long sum-
mer vacation.
Whenever the weather will permit
activities are best carried on out of
doors and very little equipment is nee
essary; a sand pile, if possible, an I'M
used kitchen table, or wide board laid
on any available foundation, with box
es for seats or the little chairs which
each child may bring from home. The
materials already on hand for use by
the children in the home such as balls,
bean bags, blocks, Mother Goose and
other story books, will serve the whole
group. The other mothers of the neigh
borhood are sure to be willing to con-
tribute, for the use of all, materials
which their own children possess, and
each child can bring some of his pen
mics for the purchase of paper, paste,
crayons, and so forth.
Fortunately, when we built our six
room bungalow we provided nursery
for our little ones, a large practical
room with fireplace and built-in
shelves, so that our group found space
for all indoor activities there. ANY
room not needed for other purposes at
the time of the school session might
be used equally well.
As center for outdoor work and
play, we had a sandpile under the
trees. This had been left by the build
ers, and to close it in the children dug
trenches on four sides, into which We
inserted planks.
Baby Center of Attraction.
For pets we had goldfish, mother
bunny with little ones, and our own
tiny baby of three months. The baby
served as a center for many of our
doings; many times our songs were
sung to him, our houses of blocks made
for him, our table constructed for him.
The children watched him grow
through the months and he was the
real handspring of our group life.
Since the group was made up Of
children of varying ages, each younger
child depended on an|older for leader
ship, assistance and consideration.
The Acknowledgements learned to
lend a hand to the four-year-olds and
to be patient and kind with the littlest
ones.
Having neighborhood nursery
| school has a tremendous advantage for
the busy mother who has difficulty in
finding time for uninterrupted work
and play with her own child. Children
will play contentedly together for long