I had my very first social-emotional group last night. I am working with 3 kids ages 2.5-4. This is what it looked like last night after they left < Controlled chaos at best. The kids had fun! Don’t get me wrong. But, you put 3 kids in a room together and you are going to get some form of chaos. I will not mention any names on here due to hipaa. But, I just have to say, even though it was controlled chaos, there were so many improvements even on the first day. I saw the beginning of syllables such as muh for more, as well as signing "more". I saw sharing of a swing. I saw another little girl ask for a fidget to be opened by giving it to another little girl. The same girls went next to another kid to play with the pasta bin. She has not stood next to kids before. They all enjoyed playing with the toys, but there was some melting down the last 15 minutes due to the timing. Have to remember that for next time. There were toys flying everywhere, and then being put away. There was pasta, happily being thrown up, and then being shown how to keep our "happy hands" down with the pasta. There was so much happiness in that room that even if it was chaos for the first day, I think it went really well. Kids did go away learning a couple of things even on the first day, which I did not expect. I had no expectations for the first day at all. I figured they'd just be getting to know each other. But, they exceeded my expectations, as most kids do.
