Teaching Teamwork and Collaborative Play in Preschool

As we are social animals, teamwork and collaboration are two crucial skills to have as they are the foundation for life. Therefore, it is important to help our kids develop these skills as early as possible. But how do you achieve this? The best preschool in India, Bubbles Playway School believes that teaching anything to children should be as creative and engaging as possible and what better place for it than the early childhood classrooms, aka preschools.

Forging a community: By building a community within the classroom, you will give the kids a sense of belonging. Give them jobs such as collecting the toys, switching the lights on and off, etc. and make them understand how important each of these jobs is. This will give them a sense of responsibility, which in turn, will make them feel like they are a part of a community; hence, making them learn teamwork.

Concept of taking turns: Being the best preschool in India, Bubbles Playway School says that a great way to teach kids about teamwork is by teaching them how to take turns. Whether it is playing with a single toy or reading a book, teach them to do it with each other in turns. If possible, give them a sand clock so that they also learn to manage their own time. This way, they will learn to share without feeling like they have lost their toy forever.

Collaborative Plays: Using building blocks or painting together is some of the best collaborative plays. Teaching collaboration should also include free play, plays without too much structure and rules. This allows the kids to figure things out on their own, use their own imagination, and enhance their problem-solving skills too.

Some other ways of enforcing teamwork and collaboration include talking about them and using encouraging statements. Showing them that their efforts are valued will reinforce the importance of teamwork and collaborative play.

Lastly, encourage parents to play with their kids at home, include them in the daily chores, and teach them about the importance of each task and its contribution to reaching a collective goal. For example, while cleaning the house, ask the kids to clean their room by putting the toys away; and tell them how this will contribute to the overall cleaning of the house. The more such opportunities the kids will get, the more quickly they will learn these important social and emotional skills for life.