PLAY-BASED LEARNING AT HOME [ VETERINARIANS ]

During the Christmas holidays, you may remember the little/dramatic/expensive tale about our dog Rudi getting himself into all sorts of trouble with a nasty fish hook... well now that he's well and truly recovered and we can all have a slight chuckle about his $2400 emergency surgery {on a Sunday... at three in the morning... four hours from home} we graciously accepted when Sage insisted upon a "vets" as her new investigation, a short time after our arrival home. She was naturally very intrigued by all that had unfolded while we were away and we knew that any worries or concerns she may have had as a result of Rudi's ordeal could be expressed and alleviated through role play. 

Usually we change our play-based environments every three to four weeks {depending on Sage's interest level}, however our veterinarians remained captivating for almost two months! We were amazed, not only by the literacy and numeracy understandings she displayed {and gained} from this setting, but also by her questioning strategies and depth of imagination. She 'wrote' {as the vet} and conveyed {as the customer} names, addresses, phone numbers, reasons for visiting {often rather elaborate!} and subsequent treatment options. I only wish we had have taken a video!

See more from the 'Play-Based Learning at Home' series:

[FARMYARD]
[FAIRY GARDEN]
[HOSPITAL]
[DINOSAURS]
[LIBRARY]

THE SUMMER SHELF

Summer

Lazy summer, warm and sweet.

Long, long days full of bees and flowers.

Time to dip your toes in the sea

or watch the breeze moving through the grass.

Time to pick a ripe tomato right off the plant

and pop it in your mouth.

Time to look at the sky 
and dream...

Nicola Davies

Top Shelf - Waldorf doll (purchased from here, similar here)  //  cane furniture, thrifted  //  seesaw
Second Shelf - mini grass bag, thrifted  //  Phoebe Wahl print  //  rainbow stacker  
Third Shelf - "Summer" book  //  cheese cloth  //  fish and chips felt set  //  drum, gifted
Bottom Shelf - sea enchanted playsilk (care of  Sarah's Silks)  //  ocean puzzle  //  vases, thrifted //  "Magic Beach" book //  whale  //  cheese cloth  //  lighthouse and buoy, purchased in-store

PLAY-BASED LEARNING AT HOME [ LIBRARY ]

Sage simply adores the library. We are so lucky that our local is only a five minute walk from home, although it's an expedition that usually takes us three times as long, as I mindfully bite my tongue on the "hurry up, let's go's" and remember it is the journey that's often most important...

Along the way, Sage takes advantage of her mama being relatively distraction-free, and consequently, our dawdle is filled with her constant, bubbly chatter and endless ponderings. Numerals on each letter box we see are exclaimed over and questioned {"Mum! I see a 2 and a 5 -- that says 25!" "Mama? What does a 6 and a 3 say when they are together?"} - a girl after her teacher-mama's heart! We wave a friendly 'hello' to the neighbourhood pets watching us from the comfort of their couches and hold hands as she balances along low, concrete fences, practising her "twicks". Eyes often gaze skyward, spotting planes zooming overhead and a particular patch of yellow daisies on the nature strip is often one or two fewer upon our passing.

Once we arrive, she takes great delight in tippy-toeing her books over the too-high counter, only to go and fossick through the tubs and find very similar - often matching titles to the ones she has just returned! Hairy McLairy and Maisy Mouse are firm favourites, but mama manages to sneak in a few other beloveds along the way.


Here is our latest play-based investigation at home - our very own library to visit each and every day :-)

Library Resources

Large bookshelf, secondhand, from here

Double wooden school desk and chairs, from antique store

'Computer' cash register, purchased from here {similar here} - used to enter addresses, phone numbers, library card codes, number of books borrowed and days books can be kept 

Wooden flower, gift {similar here}

Bell, purchased in-store {similar here}

Barcode scanner - old, cordless phone

Alphabet poster, purchased in-store {similar here}

Blue hat, second hand {similar here}

Puzzles, baskets, fiction and non fiction books, collected over time

{Please note - no new items were purchased for this investigation - all have been collected over my years as an early childhood educator}

See more from the 'Play-Based Learning at Home' series:

[FARMYARD]
[FAIRY GARDEN]
[HOSPITAL]
[DINOSAURS]


Do your children have a love for the library too?

PLAY-BASED LEARNING AT HOME [ DINOSAURS ]

Dinosaur Reading

FICTION TEXTS

Flip-O-Saurus  by Sara Ball

I Wish I Had a Dinosaur  by Ian Anggabrata

My Dearest Dinosaur  by Margaret Wild

Dinosaur Encore  by Patricia Mullins

That's Not My Dinosaur  by Fiona Watt

NON FICTION TEXTS

Eye Know - Dinosaur  published by Dorling Kindersley

Dinosaurs  published by Priddy Books

Mad About Triceratops  published by Make Believe Ideas

Dino IQ  published by Priddy Books

Dinosaur Resources

Dinosaur figurines {here}

Dinosaur skeletons {purchased in store - similar here}
Blue marina set , shown below {here}
Green savannah set, shown below {here}

Finger puppets {purchased from a discount store - similar here}
Words cards {printed and laminated from here}

Jigsaw puzzles {set of four, here}
'Dotty Dinosaur' game {not pictured, here}

Large fir tree {here}

Small fir tree {here}
'Grass' {left over from here}

Orange mat {similar here}

Brown play silk {here}

Cave {made by draping thrifted material over bamboo stakes}
Mirror {part of set, from here}
Other items purchased in store, from op shops or foraged from nature

{Please note - no new items were purchased for this investigation - all have been collected over my years as an early childhood educator}

And some pieces for Alby to explore... {more about his play space here}

See more from the 'Play-Based Learning at Home' series:

[FARM YARD]
[FAIRY GARDEN]
[HOSPITAL]