Child Development in the Sunday Comics

One of my favorite lessons in child development is talking about the different ways children play and how they learn through playing. 

We go through a lecture and I show videos of different types of play. Then I have the students act out play scenarios and the rest of the students guess what types of play they are doing. I encourage the students to bring props. 

For a classroom set up, I would have different types of toys or situations that the students could play with or act out. Then the lesson leads into toys and toy safety. 

The following comic illustrates one of my favorite types of play - imaginary play in which the child mimics an adult. An excellent way for kids to act out their own frustrations with situations and learn to empathize. 

So, if you are ever the subject of a kiddo modeling a situation you faced together, don't take it personally (like Mommie Dearest did). The child is just working through it. 

Have fun playing!