Another project
welcomed in Rroma communities is „toys library”, which offer a warm
environment for children to explore new toys, new games and new ways of
spending time.
These „libraries” offer a warm environment for children to
explore new toys, new games and new ways of spending time.
Through this
project children can experience different roles through play. They can also
socialize in a positive environment with children of the same age or different
age. The children and their families can observe how to keep toys tidy and
organized at home. Part of that is learning rules, like each time when you
finished playing with something, it needs to be put back, properly. Children also learn how to
handle things respectfully: toys are
never thrown; we can harm others by
doing so (and destroy the toy!).
By playing,
children can learn all sorts of different problem-solving strategies. Play
facilitates language development. Play
leads to developed social skills. The toy librarian can increase the complexity
of playing. The librarian can help children to move beyond simple and
repetitive ways of playing, through his own intervention and example of using
the toys.
The program can
be implemented in Rroma communities following some concrete rules:
-
the
families have to book their time to play inside the library, before they visit
it.
-
only
those families which proved, while their children were playing there, that they
can handle the toys responsibly may take them home for a limited time. This is
similar to checking out a book at a regular library.
-
the
number of families that can visit the library at the same time should be
limited, perhaps to no more than 4 or 5. This will help the librarian to keep
in charge and under control the activities inside of the „toys library”.
To have a clue how this works, follow the link
below: Playing as a Gateway to School and Inclusion.
