Preschool teachers record new videos with games and say “play at home!”

PODGORICA, 19 APRIL 2020 – As part of the Institute of Public Health’s #StayHome campaign, preschool teachers across the country have joined the #PlayAtHome action by posting videos of various games for preschoolers and their parents on their social networks, inviting parents to support their children development by them playing at home.

“The child is an active factor in his or her own development, and play must be an activity that activates all the mental and physical potentials of the child. Therefore, allow your child to play spontaneously and freely, to have plenty of experiences, as well as sufficient time, space and materials for playing,” says Jasmina Brajovic, a preschool teacher at Djina Vrbica Public Preschool Institution in Podgorica.

Brajovic says that this game with macaroni encourages the development of the hand–eye coordination, as well as the development of patience and precision in work. It also develops intellectual abilities (classification by one of the characteristics – colour) and creativity by producing small “works of art”.

Her colleague Marijana Zivkovic from Vukosava Ivanovic Masanovic PPI in Bar made a video with instructions for an exciting game involving spaghetti and geometrical shapes.

“Let’s spend some quality time while we are together at home. Adding a bit of imagination and creativity to your activities makes your stay at home fun. So let’s play at home!” Zivkovic invites the parents of preschoolers.

Teaching children of this age what is left and what is right often presents a real challenge. For this reason, Sladjana Mijovic, a preschool teacher at Djina Vrbica PPI in Podgorica, proposes a simple and useful game for learning left and right.

“Dear parents, the goal of today’s video is to help children expand their knowledge of spatial relationships in an interesting way – to become aware of the differences between left and right, up and down, back and forward. #StayHome and expand your child’s knowledge through play,” says Mijovic.

The #PlayAtHome action was launched by UNICEF, the Association “Parents” and the Ministry of Education.  Thanks to this, parents and educators have started posting videos of various games with preschoolers on their social networks using the hashtag #PlayAtHome, tagging UNICEF Montenegro, the Ministry of Education and the Association “Parents” (roditelji.me). The aim is to support the parents of preschool children to devote some extra time to their children during this crisis, to help their children to relax and encourage their development through various types of games at home.