Informal Play Environment

Who: After School Program
Where: Saint Joseph School Gym
Ages: 4-6
Gender: 7 males 1 female
Demographics:
Materials Provided: Various balls (basketballs, volleyballs, footballs, soft balls), paper


After 5 minutes:
Two 4-year-olds playing with paper airplanes
5 children were playing with balls.

• 1 child was playing on his own (4-year-old)
  
• 2 children were playing in pairs (two 4-year-olds)
  
• 1 child was playing with a teacher (5-year old)

Two children were playing with nothing (one wanted to chase, the other did not)

Mostly play in individuals and pairs using equipment provided


After 15 minutes:
Play shifted to creative play
Two 4-year-olds initiated a chase game with a 6-year old
Two 5-year-olds created a game with a ballwith a teacher with rules and expectations of behavior
-one 4-year-old tried to join in but did not follow the expectations (took the ball away from the game) and the children explained the rules
The 6-year-old pretended to have a car and talked to himself for a while. A few minutes later 2 boys (4-and 5-year-olds) came and joined him in a make believe car game.
-They walked around the gym
-6-year-old made up a song with a car in it.

Mostly group play using no equipment

Total play time: 30 minutes