what do teachers do at the playground of your preschool?

[Anonymous]

I was in for a conference at my DC new preschool today. I noticed that the kids teachers (and this is of a young 3s class) all talking together on the playgrounds while all the kids ran around on a fairly big playground. Is this normal? I dont want to over react but I expected my teachers of my very young preschooler to be actively playing with the children and not standing to the side chatting to the each other. I send my child to preschool so they're taught how to engage socially with other kids. If i wanted them to play alone, i would have a nanny.

[Anonymous]

Playground time is usually about free play. Your child will learn a great deal just from interacting with all the other kids, not all socialization needs to be teacher-led or directed. Because there are lots of kids running in different directions teachers often just supervise and intervene as necessary rather than spending that time actively engaged with the kids. It is good for your child to be playing with other kids without constant adult intervention. Peers are great teachers too.

[Anonymous]

I see them doing different things. Some might be pushing kids on the swing or playing ball. Others are rotating kids in/outside for diaper changes. Others might be talking with each other. As needed, I see them intervening if there's a disagreement or a safety issue. My DD loves adults and I'll often find her with one or more of the teachers talking.

If the teachers are being inattentive and the kids' safety is at risk, that's a problem. However, you sent your child to preschool in part to have them exposed to other kids. Adults have to step back and let kids play as kids. And at that age, some of it is parallel or solitary play.

[Anonymous]

At that age, they are probably mostly hanging together and intervening as necessary, taking kids in to potty, etc. Kids that age interact with each other.

On the playground with the younger kids, there is much more interaction and running around by the teachers.

[Anonymous]

I actually don't know what the teachers of my 3 year olds class do while he's on the playground; however I can see the benefit of them standing back, chatting, and supervising from a safety perspective. They can likely see more children that way. If they were all engaged individually with a child, they might not see problem behaviors as readily and there could be more playground accidents.

[Anonymous]

2.5 to young 3s class:

Referee kids, watch gate exits, spot kids on climbing equipment, take pictures. Occasionally they will facilitate or just initiate a game of hide and go seek or something, but the focus is really getting the kids to play with each other or independently. There is plenty of time for structure inside. I also don't think they could do their job of safely monitoring the kids and the playground as a whole if they were involved with individual kids.

[Anonymous]

Nothing, other than intervening in disagreements, etc. Kids need free play and need to learn how to navigate those social relationships on the playground without much intervention from teachers.

[Anonymous]

I've never actually seen them at the playground (school doesn't have one attached, so they walk to one of the local ones when I'm at work), but I'd assume the same as PPs: not much. It's important for the kids to experiment with new equipment and new social roles (leading, following, etc.), so I'd be disappointed if the teachers weren't giving them the freedom to do that. The class is 3's and 4's.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't expect them to actively engage with the kids constantly. Its free play time, and that's important. However, supervision is important. Its not break time, teachers should be all over the playground making sure that the kids are playing safely.

[Anonymous]

OP here. This class is 2yr/3yr so these kids are very young. I am not as much worried about safety as I am about my child playing alone. She needs to be encouraged to participate and I hate the idea of her playing there alone. She always tells us "I did the monkey bars and no one helped me". I dont know if she is saying it proudly or as though she's wishing someone assisted her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. This class is 2yr/3yr so these kids are very young. I am not as much worried about safety as I am about my child playing alone. She needs to be encouraged to participate and I hate the idea of her playing there alone. She always tells us "I did the monkey bars and no one helped me". I dont know if she is saying it proudly or as though she's wishing someone assisted her.

DS is 3yo and has a similiar playground set up. They don't have monkey bars on the playground though. I think monkey bars are dangerous for 2-3 year olds.

DS is pretty social. Sometimes I watch him on the playground and watch him join his friends. I do see some shy kids on the playground. I don't necessarily think the teacher needs to force kids to play together on the playground. there is plenty to do alone or with others. it is free open play outside.

[Anonymous]

My DS is two and also plays on his own as well as with other kids. I hate thinking of him playing alone too, but I think it's just par for the course. The teachers have enough to do watching out for everyone and can't force kids to play together. They are basically doing that all day when they're together inside. The playground is for free play.

[Anonymous]

As others said, free play is important. Your child will naturally learn how to play with others, she doesn't need to be told how to do so. If she plays on her own, it's because she wants to. (The safety/monkey bars issue is separate.). If she wants to play with other kids, she'll do it by her own motivation, she shouldn't be pushed to go talk to someone (that's a great way to get kids to NOT want to do something).

Also, another important aspect of this is that caregivers need small breaks to take a breath and relax. Even though preschool may not be a full day, it is exhausting dealing with kids of that age, and you want your caregivers to have a moment to regroup and relax so that when they're "on" in the classroom, they're not sick of interacting with the kids. This is the reality, and it's critical that people (including parents if they're home full-time with their kids) get breaks.

[Anonymous]

At that age, many kids play alone. Some play beside each other, some interact but playing alone is developmentally normal. You can't force kids who prefer to be alone to play with others.

Op, you need to back off and stop worrying. Your child is fine.

[Anonymous]

Teacher here. Normal. I assume they would likely intervene when needed and appropriate. Kids need to navigate the playground and be free to explore/create/socialize.