Here in preschool children are learning and practicing all sorts of new things, including writing names, measuring ingredients for baking projects, and doing puzzles. All these things are important to learn as they carefully attune fine motor skills, help to read and follow instructions, and show how to be successful in things we attempt. There is another skill that is also being cultivated at this age, it is how to get along in a large social group.
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| These children are both doing the same basic thing but their space is defined by what they are sitting on. |
These children will grow up to have many relationships, personal and professional, and the practice for these relationships starts now. This shows up in many different ways -- sharing a toy, taking a turn on the slide, deciding who gets to pour the flour into the bowl -- but it also manifests in navigating situations in which the child has had enough and needs to be alone. Often times this can show up as a blow up of frustration, which can lead to hitting or pushing.
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| One child shows off what she has been working on to her sister, each has chosen her own spot to sit. |
My goal is to help them navigate these interactions successfully with words and gentle actions. This week we have been practicing the idea of "personal space." I explained to the children that everybody has a bubble around them, and that is their space. Bubbles are delicate so we have to be gentle with them just as we need to be gentle with people's personal space. They can allow people into their space, but people should ask to hug or hold hands; it should not be assumed that it is free for anyone. So when someone starts encroaching on their space, they let them know by telling them "That's my space!" Personal space is not only our bodies but our cubbies as well, so we keep hands off each others cubbies too. Children are not born with the ability to clearly verbally communicate and so giving them words to express what they are feeling will help them to let the world around them know what is going on in their heads. This benefits both them and those around them.
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| These children are comfortable enough to be in each other's space. |
