It is the first day at Ed’s new Tumbletots group. He has moved up from age group 1 – 2 to 2-3. The previous group he attended involved a circuit of ladders, slides, tunnels, elevated planks, tilting planks all punctuated with sing songs and other sporadic activities involving the likes of hoops and beanbags. There is a commitment to developing child’s motor skills and confidence. Ed never chronologically followed the looping circuit; he would return to favourites, bemusing others with his attachment to the numbered stepping stones on the occasions that these get an outing.
I knew that this new older age group would be more structured and present a challenge to Ed’s free spirit. The first part of the new session, had us all sitting around in a circle. Genial group leaders ask the children to relay what they have recently done. Various children stepped forward and told of their recent activities to the interested and engaged group leader. No sooner had the first lad volunteered his trampoline success than Ed scurried off. He wanted to play on what he has been familiar with and – success! – the numbered stepping stones were laid out. I shadowed Ed as he sounded out his new surroundings. Meanwhile, in the circle, other children continued to step up and recall their recent activities. I couldn’t coax Ed back to the circle and was relieved when the green light came from the circle for play on the apparatus.
This didn’t appear to be very long and I inwardly sighed when the Tumbletot kids were to be subsequently divided into four leader led groups for ‘train-time’, an activity that involves doing a train/conga like walk between groups. A quarter of the hall was siphoned off for each group’s activities. Ed looked bewildered and raised his arms to me for support; I recognised and recalled that experience of not knowing what’s going on as all other young peers are familiar with and on top of what they are doing. We went through three out of four ‘train’ groups. He did go on to get a grasp some activities such as balancing, with my support, on the wobble boards.
At the end, back in the circle group, he was presented with a certificate for moving to his new group. Pleased, he set about applying his sticker to it. It’ll be a tricky period ahead, preparing and encouraging him to embrace the workings of this new group before breaking up for the summer holidays.
I knew that this new older age group would be more structured and present a challenge to Ed’s free spirit. The first part of the new session, had us all sitting around in a circle. Genial group leaders ask the children to relay what they have recently done. Various children stepped forward and told of their recent activities to the interested and engaged group leader. No sooner had the first lad volunteered his trampoline success than Ed scurried off. He wanted to play on what he has been familiar with and – success! – the numbered stepping stones were laid out. I shadowed Ed as he sounded out his new surroundings. Meanwhile, in the circle, other children continued to step up and recall their recent activities. I couldn’t coax Ed back to the circle and was relieved when the green light came from the circle for play on the apparatus.
This didn’t appear to be very long and I inwardly sighed when the Tumbletot kids were to be subsequently divided into four leader led groups for ‘train-time’, an activity that involves doing a train/conga like walk between groups. A quarter of the hall was siphoned off for each group’s activities. Ed looked bewildered and raised his arms to me for support; I recognised and recalled that experience of not knowing what’s going on as all other young peers are familiar with and on top of what they are doing. We went through three out of four ‘train’ groups. He did go on to get a grasp some activities such as balancing, with my support, on the wobble boards.
At the end, back in the circle group, he was presented with a certificate for moving to his new group. Pleased, he set about applying his sticker to it. It’ll be a tricky period ahead, preparing and encouraging him to embrace the workings of this new group before breaking up for the summer holidays.
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