Boating at home

Here are children playing at ‘Boats’-absorbed in repeating an enjoyable experience. What good is it doing them?

They are establishing a deeper understanding of the event; they are using their imagination to think back to the sensations of floating, rocking and gliding over water, or the rather fearful excitement of nearly losing an oar.

All the words new to them when they actually enjoyed the visit to the boating pool they will probably be using in their play, words such as ‘rowlock’, ‘oars’, ‘stern’, ‘bow’, ‘rudder’, ‘footboard’. They may ask you-‘What was this or that thing called?’ Help their inventiveness. Join in their world of fantasy with a little conversation and pretence-but not interference. When they start school they may possibly retell their boating experiences to an interested classroom or playground audience.

Whether your child can express himself or herself, can find all the words needed for doing so, depends on the interest and help you have given. Although he will talk to other children, you as adult are your child’s real language teacher long before school age is reached.