Balancing Social Development with Social Distancing

One of the biggest challenges for teachers in recent times is supporting children’s social-emotional development while maintaining as much physical distance as possible between peers in the classroom. At L'Academy teachers have been incorporating games that encourage distance and teamwork at the same time. Small groups enable children to learn from each other. When too many children choose to participate in an activity, teachers provide appropriate solutions for sharing safely and taking turns. While children cannot always judge an appropriate distance or keep one, they are learning the importance of caring for one another in their own little community. They remind each other to wash hands when they arrive or enter a different environment; they patiently wait to be served snack instead of serving themselves; and they comfort one another with kind words or gifting pictures they create when somebody is sad. They have adapted to this new way of life without forgetting that play is important work, so they find ways to do it!