Entry 2

Looking after our babies:

24^th August 2010

N and R love pretending to care for their babies. Today R and N decided that their babies “wanted to swing”. R started swinging his baby on the swing then N came along with her baby and asked R “can my baby have a turn” R replied “after my baby okay” “okay” said N and she took her baby to the chair to wait. Finally Rs baby was finished on the swing so R took his baby to sit on the chair while Ns baby had a turn. R and N decided that their babies were tied “baby needs a sleep” said N so both of them took their babies inside for a sleep. R and N got the mattresses out and found some blankets for their babies. “Baby hasn’t got any jammys” said N so off she went to look for some pyjamas for her baby. After a while N returned with some pyjamas for her baby. N and R began to settle their babies in bed. N and R make pillows and comfy beds for their babies N says “babies beds pretty”. N grabs a plastic bottle and puts it in her baby’s mouth “baby’s having a drink in bed” said N. N passes the bottle to R and says “can you get baby some more drink” “okay” replied R. N again pretends to give her baby a drink then she finds a syringe and puts it in her baby’s mouth and says “baby needs some medicine”. “My baby’s sick” says R so N passes him the syringe so he can give his baby some medicine too.

Recognised Learning: Social studies involve children developing knowledge and understandings of themselves, others, and the community. Young children (3&4 year olds) are able to act-out roles and responsibilities of others such as parents and teachers; this allows children to understand their world and their own place in it. Dramatic play alongside others showed by N and R in this observation allows them to take on such roles and is an extremely symbolic and cognitive activity (Seefeldt, 2000). Te Whariki also talks about how social studies involve children developing an awareness of the physical and social worlds, knowledge of people’s responsibilities and roles as well as knowledge of families and culture (Ministry of Education, 1996).   Mindes (2005) suggests that children develop civic responsibility through exploration of subjects such as clothing, shelter, food, communication, and family living; from this children represent their understandings in ways that are meaningful to them.