Tools and Work

This construction tools center was popular this week as we explore people that work in our neighborhood community.

I set out some play tools, styrofoam, an egg carton, and golf tees, and the kids went straight to work.

It was loud, messy, and an engaging way to work on fine motor skills and a little engineering. It was definitely worth sweeping up all the bits of styrofoam later. :)

We talked about other kinds of jobs and the tools that people use besides the typical household or construction tools that most kids are familiar with.

We learned that a tool can be any object that helps someone to do work.

There was a book that I loved in my Kindergarten classroom library called Everybody Works. I couldn't find it at the library, but I tried to adapt the same concept to a book that I already owned: ABC of Jobs. We talked about how everybody works in different ways- some work inside, some work outside, some work on the go...some work for money, and some work just to help others. I asked the kids what kind of work they do in preschool, and they had lots of great ideas. "Sit on the rug!" and "Read books!" and "Be nice to friends!"

But my favorite answer was "Play!"

Play is the best kind of work.