Post-Pandemic Teaching in the Early Childhood Classroom: Supporting Children’s Social Skills to Enhance Play Experiences

Abstract

Some or most preschool-age children experienced 15-20 months isolated from others due to the Covid pandemic. The isolation has not allowed young children the opportunity to participate in a group care setting with similarly aged peers. While the isolation was prudent to maintain the health of young children, it has not allowed children to gain the skills necessary to play with one another. Children learn by doing, and they have not been able to participate in play-based interactions with others. In this article, I pose three scenarios demonstrating how teachers can intentionally scaffold young children’s interactions, thereby, furthering their social skills.