Learning Story – “Our New Playschool Baby”

On January 30th 2017, Amie went to Emily’s birthday party. At the party, Amie made the

announcement – “I’m going to be a big cousin”. She proceeded to tell all her friends that her

Aunty Jackie who works in playschool had “a baby in her tummy”.

On Monday morning the children couldn’t contain their excitement! Most of them had been

at Emily’s party and one by one they bounded in with the news “we’re having a baby in

playschool”. Poor Jackie didn’t know how the news had spread – until Amie owned up!

The new baby was due in June, but of course that meant nothing to our boys and girls, who

can only understand time as an extension of their own lives. So we began to chat about

events that had to happen first:

• Snowdrops and daffodils blooming

• The birds building their nests

• The leaves coming on the trees

• Pyjama Day.

• Easter holidays

• Warm sunny days

• Preparing for our End of Year Celebration.

Very quickly, the children began to identify with this

passage of time by adding in their own personal

events.

• “My birthday”, said Cormac

• “I have to go to LEGOLAND first”, laughed Emily who was so looking forward to this

holiday!

• “I have to go to the Eye Clinic first because that’s next week”, added Cillian.

Everyone had their own way of making sense and connecting with the expected happy

event.

Over the next 5 months, Jackie’s growing baby became a full member of our playschool,

especially when the kicking and moving began. “Good morning Jackie, good morning baby”,

the children would say as they arrived for their day.

One sunny day in April the children were having

a “day at the beach”. This is when we fill our

sandpit with water and pretend it’s the beach. All

the children took off their shoes and socks and

rolled up their trousers and I poured buckets of

water over their feet to create our beach. There

were squeals and screeches of delight at the

water and suddenly Jackie said “wow, I’ve just

got some kick from Baby!” The more the children

laughed and screeched, the more the

baby kicked. “Your baby wants to come

out and play with us, Jackie,” Lorenzo

remarked with a smile. Jackie smiled back

– “I think you may be right, Lorenzo”!

Over the next couple of months episodes

like this were repeated many times.

Once, Jackie’s husband Paul came to pick her up early. I

told the children they were going to a class together. “I

know”, said Declan, swinging high, “they’re going to learn

how to get the baby out”. If only it was that easy, Jackie

remarked the next day when I told her what Declan had

said!

On another occasion we were practising the songs for our end of year concert. It was the

end of May, and very nearly time for Jackie to “go and get the baby out”. Jackie told the

children her baby was listening to them singing, and dancing along with them in her tummy.

They were thrilled and sang even better. “Your baby will know all our songs when it comes

out”, Caoimhe said excitedly. “I hope it’s out in time to come to our concert and sing with

us”! Amie added. Their innocence, happiness, identity and belonging and anticipation was a

joy to behold.

We had a party for Jackie’s last

day. Declan brought in chocolate

muffins and Jackie blew out a

candle and we sang and took

photos. Everyone really missed

Jackie and Baby when they left.

But we didn’t have to wait long.

Two weeks later, on 13th June, Alannah was born, a beautiful, tiny baby girl with lots of black

hair! That morning, I put a photo of Jackie, Alannah and Paul on our wall just inside the

playroom door. The children’s reaction amazed

and

delighted

me.

Without me

saying

anything,

one by one

as they

came in

they went

to the photo and kissed and hugged Alannah and Jackie who they loved so much.

We made a card to say congratulations and everyone wrote their

names and drew pictures. Jackie gave it pride of place at her hospital

bed.

The chat between the children was so interesting, the comments they made - “She’s a girl”,

“Jackie is a mammy and Paul is a daddy”, and most importantly “I wonder will she be at our

concert and graduation on Friday”.

And believe it or not she was! It was a perfect end to a six months Learning Story full of

wonder and awe. Little Alannah sat on her

mammy’s knee and listened to the singing, acting

and music she had heard so many times and

watched as they celebrated their graduation and

she never even cried once.

Our children were so proud of “our new

playschool baby”.

They had learned a lot about the development of a baby in the mammy’s “tummy” in a way

totally appropriate to their age and relevant to their lives. Jackie and Alannah belonged to

our playschool family and the children could feel this sense of belonging. The whole story

provided endless scope for communication, both verbal and non-verbal, - with each other,

with Jackie, with the baby inside her and after birth, with their parents as they proudly

brought home news of the developments each day.

Our children’s learning continues every

day – “practicing” their parenting skills

with their baby dolls! I constantly observe

them constructing complex family

adventures with their babies – cooking

meals, shopping trips, holidays, parties, we

even had a Christening! I never cease to

marvel at their creativity and competence.

When Alannah is old enough to come to playschool she will be told about how special she

was to us and how much joy and fun she gave us even before she arrived into this world.

PS Alannah is my little granddaughter!!