Friday, November 16, 2007

What spurs imagination?

So many times you see people post that all their kids do is play video games or watch tv, when will they get up and DO something?!

In our house tv and games actually promote many things. It is not uncommon to see my kids acting out a game or something they saw on tv.

Lately my kids have been playing Runescape outside, they dress up and they play it.

We just recently saw the Apple Dumpling Gang and the kids loved it, I have been getting older movies for them through Netflix

Last night and today they are dressed up as outlaws and playing like the guys on the movie.

Jason always says that Jared lives vicariously through a video game. He is always acting, and everything he does is a game. He has been playing Club Penguin and so now he tells me that I have to check on my pet. He being my pet, he makes faces and tells me how much rest, health and energy my pet has.

My kids have learned so much from playing games and yes it does lead to research and gaining more information as their questions arise. There is a vast amount of information to gain, we just go with our interests and find out answers to our questions. So many questions... One thing leads to another, it's a natural progression when learning isn't forced or coerced.

You can also learn *subjects* by playing games, it has helped my kids read, type, spell, draw, do math, history, geography and on and on just by having an interest and playing a game or watching a movie.

I do not do subjects, I don't separate our life, we live and learn period.

A few weeks ago Kieran was doing work for someone on Runescape where the guy paid Kieran to collect so many herbs(or whatever it was) Jason gave him the idea to hire someone else to help and pay them a little less then what he is making. So he did just that, got the job done in less time and still made money.

There are so many examples of real learning that takes place everyday in so many ways, I could never document it all. I just know that my kids are learning what they need when they need it. I am here to facilitate and help and stay out of their way when necessary.

Quick example, Jared asks me how to spell words that he is writing down but he tells me not to spell the ones he knows how to. So he says wait mom, don't say anything I know this one.

2 comments:

Tina said...

I've seen this over the years with my two. Always thinking, always learning.
Tina

Jenny said...

For years I had been concerned about the "if they watch much TV, it will stifle their imagination and creativity" bit. I had heard that so much ... but it doesn't appear to be true here. If anything, TV encourages them to be more creative.