Why Learning Games For Kindergarten And 1st Grade Work

By Charles Wood


Teachers of small children face special challenges. Some children have been to pre-k prior to kindergarten and have an idea of what to expect. For others, it is their first time in a school environment. Most are excited, happy, anxious, and unsure of themselves, all at the same time. Teachers have to take all of this into account as they begin each new school year. Children entering first grade are a little more seasoned and more secure about what is expected of them, but they are still very young. Education professionals can start the year on a positive note by introducing learning games for kindergarten and 1st grade early on.

Teachers have to adhere to certain guidelines that the school districts set down. There are achievements that students must meet before they can proceed to the next grade level. Within the curriculum however, there is leeway for the educator to be creative enough to engage their students and help convince them that learning can be fun.

All children have limited attention spans. Their minds tend to wander, and they get bored quickly. Introducing new games and challenges into the classroom should get them interested in what you are saying and doing. They usually like to try new things and are happy when they can see positive results from their efforts.

Small children are usually very visual. They are easily engaged by pictures and stories in books, cartoons, and puppets. Many of them will already be used to playing on electronic devices, and most of them are very good at it. Students can learn important lessons through visual and other creative play.

As a teacher, you should consider yourself an authority figure to be respected and obeyed. Most young children will want to please you and will respond well if you praise their accomplishments and encourage their participation. Having a respectful and pleasant attitude toward them is critical if you expect cooperation. For whatever reasons, there are some children who find it difficult to interact and tend to sit back and keep quiet. With work, these kids can greatly improve their communication skills.

You will need to games that allow students to move around, because small children just cannot not sit still for extended periods of time. This is a great chance to teach them about the difference between inside voices and behaviors and outside ones. Some may already understand this, but others may not have been taught.

Music and art seem to be among the first areas to fall to budget cuts. You can still introduce music and creative time in your classroom with a game. The link between music and math is well established, and children who are encouraged to participate in the arts tend to excel throughout their academic lives.

Making learning fun requires effort, and not every game will be a big success. Young teachers will learn to come into the classroom prepared to abandon ideas that fall flat and replace them with new ones. Over time you find out what works and what doesn't. Good teachers are special in children;s lives. The ones that capture their imaginations and bring out their interests and talents are remembered forever.




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