Language
Week 46
Our language allows us to explain to others what we prefer
when we are playing with them
Language is a non-instinctive system of spoken, manual (signed), or written symbols by which human beings express ideas, emotions, and desires. Language is a huge part of the preciousness of our humanity. Animal communication is the transfer of information by sounds, scents and motions from the sender to the receiver that affects current behavior. It can impact future behavior, too. It is generally instinctive.
Point to emphasize
We easily let others know what we like or dislike when we are playing together with them.
Sample content and conversation with children:
- Today we are going to talk about how we can use our language to tell others when we are happy or unhappy or what we prefer when we’re playing.
- Okay, raise your hand if you like to play. I see that everybody likes to play! What kinds of things do you like to play? [Let the children respond.] I have some pictures here of children playing different things.
- [Show picture #1.] What are these children doing? [Let children respond: playing in the sand, making sand castles, etc.] That’s right, they’re playing in the sand. Are they all playing the same way? [Let them respond. Some may think yes, others no.] What is “this” little boy (blue shorts) doing? [Lead them to talk about how he’s filling a small cup.] And what is “this” girl (striped shirt) doing? [Lead them to talk about how she is digging with her hands and holding the sand and maybe using the sieve.] And what about “this” girl (green shirt)? [Lead them to talk about how she’s filling the large bucket.] They’re all playing in the sand in different ways but they’re playing together. How do you like to play in the sand? Raise your hand if you like to dig holes! Raise your hand if you like to build sandcastles! Raise your hand if you like to fill a bucket with sand! You see, we all like to play in the sand but we each like play in different ways.
- Now, what if you are playing in the sand with your brother or sister or a friend. They want to dig a hole, but you would rather build a sandcastle. What could you say to them to let them know that you’d like to play with them but would rather build a sandcastle? [Lead the children to consider responses such as, Can I play? I’ll play next to you and build a castle while you dig the hole. It can be the lake next to the castle!]
- [Show picture #2.] What do you think is happening in this picture? [Let children respond: a girl is crying. They’re playing blocks. etc.] Why do you think the girl is crying? [Let them respond. Lead them to talk about how the girls are playing with blocks, but the girl who is crying isn’t happy with the way that the other girl is playing.] Sometimes when we play, we get upset because who we are playing with does something that we don’t like. Maybe we play with someone and they start throwing the blocks. What is something we can say to let them know how we are feeling about their throwing the blocks? [Lead them to consider responses such as: I’m upset/sad/afraid because you threw the blocks and they hit me. Please stop throwing the blocks. Could we play with the blocks by using them to build a tower instead?] It’s not so hard to tell others why we are upset and ask them to stop doing what is upsetting you.
- We can use our language to talk to one another and tell each other how we feel. God created us in a way that we can use words to explain to others how we feel. But lions aren’t able to speak like we are. If they get upset by another lion, they can only make sounds like roars or they show their teeth or use their claws to hit the other lion. [Optional: Play short part of video #1.] Lions can’t explain what they are feeling or if they don’t like what another lion is doing.
- It is so wonderful that we can use our words when we are playing with others to tell them how we feel or if we would like to play in a different way. God made us in such a marvelous way that we can use language to let others know how we are feeling.
Songs
Oh, I’m just to young to drive a car
It’s Yes, Thank You, Please, and May
God made me
Suggested Activities
#1: Charades
Without speaking/making a sound, or activity (brushing teeth, washing hands, swimming, drinking water, etc.) for the children to guess.
#2: What is it?
Have one serving one close their eyes. Another serving one will hold up an object (cup, fork, fruit, vegetable, household item) for the children to see and then put it away. The first serving one opens their eyes, the children describe the object (remind them that they should not say the word itself), and the second serving one tries to guess what it is.
#3: Telephone craft
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- Materials
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- Two large paper cups (disposable plastic cups will also work)
- Two paperclips or toothpicks
- Length of cotton string or fishing line approximately 10 to 30 feet long
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- Preparation
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- Punch a small hole in center of the bottom of each cup (for plastic cups, you might need a nail or other sharp tool, so use caution when completing this step).
- Thread one end of string through the bottom of each cup.
- Place a paperclip or toothpick in the bottom of each cup and tie the loose end of the string around it (the clip or pick is just here to keep the string from slipping through the bottom of the cup).
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- Procedure
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- Give one cup to your conversation partner and hold one yourself.
- Walk slowly apart until the string connecting the cups is straight and tight.
- Put your cup over your ear and have your partner talk into his or her cup (keep the conversation relatively quiet if you are standing close to one another, but be sure to talk louder than a whisper).
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Pictures
#1: Children playing in the sandbox
#2: Girl crying while playing blocks
Videos
#1: Lions Roaring
(https://www.youtube.com/embed/EFca4GGuy6s?rel=0)