One of the goals for the toddlers in our room is to develop important social skills such as turn-taking, waiting, sharing, playing alongside peers and treating others fairly during play.
To support this learning, we organised a special fishing activity.
We filled a container with blue water and added rubber fish for the children to catch. We also provided a small plastic net for the children to use when catching the fish, along with an empty container where they could place the fish they had collected.
The teachers first modelled how to use the net to catch the fish and transfer them into the second container. As each child took a turn, their peers were encouraged to wait patiently for their own opportunity to participate.
Teachers used supportive language such as, “First it’s his turn, then it will be your turn,” “Your turn is coming soon,” and “You need to wait for your turn.” These reminders helped the children understand the concept of fairness and encouraged them to respect one another during the activity. All the children showed wonderful cooperation with turn-taking, as they were very curious and excited to have a go.
Through experiences like this, children are learning to share, wait patiently, take turns, and treat their friends fairly. This learning aligns with the Contribution | Mana Tangata strand of Te Whāriki, where children develop skills for participating alongside others, develop positive relationships and learn that they have fair opportunities to participate and contribute.