Faith Curriculum Library: Tapestry of Faith: Chalice Children: A Program about Our Unitarian Universalist Community for Preschoolers

Activity 1: Free Play

Activity time: 15 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Name tags
  • Variety of free play options, such as toys, a puzzle, a storybook, manipulatives, dramatic play props, and markers and paper
  • Activity area with weather-related items

Preparation for Activity

  • Make name tags for the children you are expecting. Set these out with a few extra blank name tags and a marker.
  • Display the free play options attractively, ready for the children to use, such as a puzzle with a piece already put in place, a family of ethnically and gender-diverse dolls sitting together in the dramatic play area, a group of trucks near a block garage, or an open picture book. Include the Memory Match Game (Session 5), Chalice Flannel Board (Session 9), and Family Jigsaw Puzzle (Session 11).
  • Gather and display weather-related items such as a rainstick, a raincoat and rain boots, paper snowflakes to cut out, or cotton balls and feathers for children to blow like the wind.

Description of Activity

Free play time allows children to make individual choices, explore the environment, share time together, and build a sense of belonging and comfort with the group and the meeting room space.

As the children arrive, invite them into the Chalice Children meeting room. Help them get comfortable by pointing out the free play area and noting the options for play that are displayed. Help them say goodbye to their parent(s) or caregiver(s).

Invite and guide the children to play, helping them feel safe and welcomed.

Give a five-minute warning to the children that free play will end and clean-up will begin; follow with a one-minute warning.

Including All Participants

Free play needs to include options for all the children. For example, you might set up a craft project at a table that is tall enough to accommodate a child's wheelchair, with chairs or standing room for other children.