Figure 4. Fairy tale corner of Hansel and Gretel. (Juf Anke, n.d.).
Setting
Create the house of the evil witch from the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel. You don't need a whole house to decorate, you can use your creativity. In figure 4 the teacher combined this corner with arts and crafts and let the children decorate the corner themselves. The candies on the house are made by children and this gives the corner a more personal vibe for them. This can make them feel more involved with the corner and the whole setting.
You can also choose to make the whole corner yourself, like it's the case in figure 5, and decorate it as nice as you want to decorate it. When you do this, make sure that it is obvious for the children what it all is about. If you create a candy house that doesn't really look like a candy house, it's not a big problem. Children have a big fantasy and they can still play with it. Though, it is clever if you discuss with the children what they see and find out if they recognize what the corner is supposed to be about.
Create the house of the evil witch from the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel. You don't need a whole house to decorate, you can use your creativity. In figure 4 the teacher combined this corner with arts and crafts and let the children decorate the corner themselves. The candies on the house are made by children and this gives the corner a more personal vibe for them. This can make them feel more involved with the corner and the whole setting.
You can also choose to make the whole corner yourself, like it's the case in figure 5, and decorate it as nice as you want to decorate it. When you do this, make sure that it is obvious for the children what it all is about. If you create a candy house that doesn't really look like a candy house, it's not a big problem. Children have a big fantasy and they can still play with it. Though, it is clever if you discuss with the children what they see and find out if they recognize what the corner is supposed to be about.
Figure 5. Fairy tale corner of Hansel and Gretel II. (Kuilder, n.d.).
Equipment
In order to choose the right equipment, it is obvious that you need to have knowledge about the story first. Choosing the equipment can be done just by you, but you can also do this together with the children. Ask questions, like:
- What places do Hansel and Gretel go to?
- What do they use to find their way back home?
- Where does the witch live?
- What is a witch wearing?
- What would Hansel and Gretel be wearing?
- What happens when Hansel and Gretel go into the witch's house?
Those questions are just some examples you can use in order to make a list of objects you can put into the corner. Again, keep in mind that the objects never have to be really realistic. For instance the cage where Hansel is kept in. You can use anything, like a box or even use a rope and make a circle or use a hoop. It doesn't matter what you use as long as you guide the children in giving meaning to all those objects.
Examples of equipment you might need for a good play situation is:
- The cage
- The oven/a stove
- A witch's costume with a hat or even a fake nose
- Some clothes which represent Hansel and Gretel, this can even be just a hat
Preparation
When you create a specific corner, you want the children to make use of the corner. In this case, we created the corner around the fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel. Of course, as I wrote earlier, playing has to be voluntary and the children have to decide what they will do. As a teacher, you give them the possibility to use elements from the fairy tale in the corner with all the equipment. In order to achieve this, it is good to read or tell the fairy tale. Not only once, but multiple times. Talk about the story and about the things that happen in the story. You can even create some activities around the story to make it more living for the children. It is also important to make sure that the children know how to use the corner properly and that they use it with respect, without you taking away their freedom in the corner.
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