My students need building blocks and kitchen accessories to support their gross and fine motor development, social-emotional development, and cooperative play skills.
Imagine creating a classroom from the ground up with little to no funding and barely a hope for material support due to budget constraints. This is precisely what many teachers are being asked to do, and my classroom is no exception. Our need for materials is dire, as our class continues to grow.
My students are a mixture of children with special needs ranging from language delay to global developmental delay, as well as children who are typically developing.
They are between the ages of 3 and 5, and thus have a wide range of social and play-skill development. Despite their differences in understanding, they display a kind of camaraderie that is hard to dismiss, and I am proud that I am able to count on my students to take care of one another.
We are located on a public school campus in a small metropolitan community in California. As with many other schools in California, the budget issues of the state and nation have greatly affected our ability to provide new materials for our students. Our class was developed from necessity -- in order to meet the growing needs of the community-- in the last two years. Because of this, we are even more impacted by budget constraints and thus have been extra creative in our ability to provide necessary resources for our students.
My Project
After learning about specific developmental play skills of preschool children, the meaning of toys has become even more significant for me as a teacher. I am asking for two types of blocks to support the broad needs of my students. Younger students are typically at a "build and fall" stage in block play, while more mature students are typically at a "build and create" stage in block play. Therefore, we need blocks that are large and soft to support building towers, and we need smaller blocks for table play that will support building structures. Having two sets of blocks will also make it clear to the students which blocks are meant for what activity.
I am also asking for a kitchen set in order to support imaginative play. We currently have random food pieces and a few serving pieces such as a fork and a plate. Having a set will allow the students to use the kitchen for more than just hiding other toys, as well as support their planning skills as they create a dining experience.
The need for play materials at the preschool level is crucial for the development of many skills beyond just "play." Motor development, language development, and of course social-emotional development are all targeted through the manipulation of developmentally appropriate toys and materials.
Having blocks to build with and a kitchen to create in will not only facilitate greater social learning, but also encourage the problem-solving skills that are so necessary in advancing in grade levels.
More than a third of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Laurista and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
