Many schools and teachers use P4C and Thinking Moves with young children – from age 3 upwards. They often start with caring and collaborative thinking and then moves on to creative and critical thinking.
The ideas below will help teachers rebuild the sense of a safe community in the classroom, reinstate self-regulation and to address emotional issues. How Philosophy Can Help Children Cope with Uncertain Times is also helpful.
Ideas from Feeling Better could help your child cope whether they’re feeling angry, worked up or just overexcited… https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/joinin/help-children-cope-with-emotions
And here are plenty of brilliant P4C stimulus suggestions from our Early Years teachers.
Sharing Cookies: Why should we share? Does one good turn deserve another? When things run short, should you think of others’ needs?
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein: What made the tree happy? Did the boy get too greedy? Does giving people things make you happy? Is there a tree that you really like?
What If? by Adam Fletcher, Jintaiyang Kindergarten, Shanghai: A brilliant interactive slide set of 15 What If? questions:
– What if you could stop time?
– What if one wish would come true?
– etc.
Would you rather? by Adam Fletcher: A graphic slide set of 9 Would You Rather? questions:
– What would you rather find?
– Whose magic powers would you rather have?
– etc.
While we Can’t Hug by Eoin McLaughlin and Polly Dunbar
The Hug by Eoin McLaughlin and Polly Dunbar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12nAI_mLDOg
Feeling anxious
Huge Bag of Worries: Can talking about worries help?
Thank Goodness for Bob by Matthew Morgan: Do you have to talk to a person or can you talk to a pet or toy?
Wilma Jean the Worry Machine by Julia Cook: How can you calm down when you start to worry?
Owl Babies by Martin Waddell: helps tackle anxieties and fears about temporary separation
Idea 1: Look at these Blobs. They are all calm. What does calm feel like? What makes you feel calm? https://loggerheadpublishing.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/215-Blob-Tree-Posters-Detail-1-1.png
Idea 2: Which Blob do you feel like? Why? Which one do you want to be and why? https://youngjournalistacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Blob-Tree-624×877.jpg
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak: Where would you go if you could go anywhere? Would you still go if you had to go alone?
Grandad’s Island by Benji Davies: If you can’t be with someone in person can you still imagine adventures with them? How can someone stay as a real part of our life even when they are gone? Can you still talk to someone once they die?
No Matter What by Debi Gliori: Does love go on forever? How can you use nature to remember the people who have gone?
Goodbye Mog by Judith Kerr: When someone has died do you think they would want you to be able to be happy and have fun without them? Stimulus: https://youtu.be/3CPkKmB7ukU