1. Discuss, step-by-step, the preparation that must take place to ensure smooth transitions from circle time to tabletop time, or from outside time to tabletop time.
What role will each adult have?
2. List the rules necessary for children to work side by side while at the table. Generate ideas for visually presenting these rules to children.
3. Discuss developmental goals mentioned in the text, such as understanding cause and effect, task sequencing, or representational skills. Generate suggestions for activities that would address these goals.
4. Discuss various ways to realistically provide physical boundaries to help children work cooperatively beside one another.
5. Thoroughly discuss and review the adaptations from CARA’s Kit, provided at the end of the chapter.
6. Thoroughly discuss the benefits of outdoor play. The learning opportunities are often underestimated.
7. Reflecting back on your reading and doing some online research, design an outdoor playground space and decide on the materials and equipment that would be appropriate for the children’s developmental levels.
8. Make a list of activities and materials that promote peer interaction, as well as a list of activities and materials that inhibit peer interaction.
9. Discuss the skills that can be taught at mealtimes, including self-help skills, social and communication skills, and decision-making skills. Be sure to include examples of each.
10. Besides establishing a routine, discuss other strategies that will help teach the skills relevant to mealtimes. Consider issues such as how to assign some responsibilities to children, how visuals can be used to remind children of how much food to take, and seating active children next to more passive children.
11. Review and discuss the strategies for building communication and social skills at mealtime that are outlined in the chapter.
12. Discuss the symptoms related to food allergies, the common allergens, and the emergency procedures to be used should any symptoms be noted.
