Community Helpers: Being a "Family Helper"

Bathing baby was so much fun--this baby got about
a dozen baths in one afternoon!

BWhenever I teach a Community Helpers theme in the classroom, I take at least a day to talk about being helpers in our community. That ranges from how children can help (right now!) in our classroom, to their homes, to the community at large. It can be so much fun to imagine a time when they are grown up enough to go to work in the occupation of their dreams--and yet it can feel so big and far away. Many of my students were also at an age in which they are fascinated by superheroes. We would take a morning to create a puppet and story of each of them as their very own version of a superhero. A would allow them into their fantasy world in which they can have incredible powers and do incredible things--and then I would welcome them back into our classroom world in which they already have incredible power to do incredible things. We would talk about being a good friend, a helpful member of the class, a helper in their homes and in our community. So many of our community helpers truly are super people doing super things in our neighborhood.
For the sake of a homeschool scenario, I wanted a play and learning opportunity to focus on how my son is a family helper in our home. He is at the age and stage where he loves to help! He likes to help in the kitchen, help with washing the table, help with sweeping and mopping, help when his Tatty is using tools for something. He is curious about how so many things in this world work. Sometimes his curiosity manifests as anxiety. Machines and things that make noise in particular are a little frightening to him. He feels less worried and more in control when we explain that something is "safe" (as opposed to "not scary" when he adamantly feels it is), and when he gains an understanding of how it works, what it does, and why. Animals that can move independently of him into his space are rather frightening to him, so we visit parks and zoos and farms and pet shops. Babies or other children crying also seems to worry him, so we talk about ways to help in those times. On the one hand, seeing a peer cry is a reminder to him that emotions are all OK and always fleeting. His friend is "sad" right now, but the sadness will pass. With babies, it is a bit more complicated. Cries do not always mean "sad," and that is a world he does not remember! He loves to play with baby dolls at home, particularly feeding them, putting them to sleep, pushing them in a stroller and bathing them. For our Family Helper day, I set up a dramatic play activity to do all of the above plus more. He loved it--and who knows, these skills may just come in handy soon enough!

Play is a great way for our children to work through anxieties, to develop social and problem solving skills and to gain a sense of control and understanding about their environment at large. In that merit, happy playing!

Along with our babies, I set out blankets, board books, baby toys and rattles, bottles and toy dishes for feeding. Our diapering station (comprised of a plastic lap desk!) was stocked with actual diapers (a travel pack from the Dollar Tree), old baby wash cloths we still had from my son's infant days, doll clothes and baby wipes. If you prefer not to open the can of worms that is allowing a toddler access to his own baby wipes, you may prefer to use fabric or wash cloths and even to use or make your own doll cloth diapers.

Our bathing and feeding station all ready to go (minus the soap and water at this point). On a nice day, this would even be a great activity to take outside for some waterplay! It is also one of our favorite bath time activities at home, and almost a surefire way to get my toddler in the tub on the rare occasion that he is not wanting to take a bath. I just filled our basin with a shallow layer of warm water and dish soap and provided plastic toys, wash cloths and towels. 

Diapered and ready to go! 

This baby is drying off from one of her dozen baths of the day and about to enjoy another book!