Play carts are now available to CEA members teaching prek through first grade! The Connecticut Education Foundation along with Read Across Connecticut is giving away 20 incredible play carts on a first come, first served basis for prek through 1 grade-level teams, with priority given to teachers who work in Alliance Districts.
New legislation that CEA pushed for mandates that play become the primary pedagogy in prek and kindergarten and encourages using play-based learning strategies in grades 1-5.
“CEF wants to help bring play back into classrooms,” says CEF President and CEA Vice President Joslyn DeLancey. “These carts are fully equipped and include tools to link free play with the Science of Reading and building early literacy strategies. The cart is filled with a variety of engaging play items, each thoughtfully selected to foster creativity, language development, and early literacy skills.”
Each item in the cart has been selected to align with key principles of the science of reading, particularly focusing on phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, fluency, and comprehension.
Through free play with these items, children will not only have fun but also develop the early literacy skills necessary for future reading success. The cart also includes a set of instructional cards that explain key elements of play and how each builds critical early literacy skills as well as breaks down the play trajectory and provides examples of free play options for students through direct instruction.