Social play is the foundation of healthy development. In our garden classroom, we observe children engaging in increasingly complex forms of social interaction — from parallel play to cooperative projects.
What is Social Play-Dia?
It's our term for the daily social play experiences that happen naturally when children explore our garden together. Whether they're negotiating who waters which plants or working together to build a fairy house, every interaction is a learning opportunity.
Our garden provides a unique backdrop for social development because:
- Turn-taking happens naturally when sharing garden tools
- Problem-solving occurs when figuring out how to build a dam in the water table
- Empathy develops when caring for living plants and creatures
- Communication blooms as children describe their discoveries to peers
These moments of connection lay the groundwork for lifelong social skills.