September 1st, 2026

Within this pedagogical vision, Crandon Kinder, the Early Childhood education sector, has launched this year “Play & Learn”, a collaborative project running from May to November under the broader Learning in Action institutional framework. Designed by the English Coordinator, Ms. Gimena Alzugaray May, this initiative encompasses all preschool classes.

The continuous development of communication skills and critical thinking begins in the earliest stages of schooling, where play operates as the primary vehicle for understanding the world. Within this pedagogical vision, the Early Childhood education sector has launched this year “Play & Learn”, a collaborative project under the Learning in Action framework. This initiative, which encompasses all preschool classes from Kinder 1 to 5, invites Early Childhood English educators to co-plan, document, and share highly successful classroom strategies. This professional synergy not only enriches the school’s collective resources but also deepens the human formation and bilingual education that define our identity.

Narrative Exploration and Active Literacy in Kinder 3

During the initial stages of the project, story-driven active learning took center stage. On May 26th, in commemoration of World Book Day, Ms. Joanna Ventura Galante led an interactive storytelling session based on the book Monkey Puzzle for Kinder 3 A. Using puppets and jungle soundscapes, the teacher created opportunities for the children to follow and comprehend the story, identify and name jungle animals in English, and participate actively in storytelling through actions and repetition. By following English instructions and using body movements to act out different animals, the children were able to internalise basic grammatical structures through repetition and joyful physical expression. 

In a parallel experience, Ms. María Soledad Pereira Aguirre implemented a shadow theater proposal titled «The Brave Little Cloud» with Kinder 3 B. Designed to stimulate curiosity and visual sequencing, the activity adapted its original plan to match the children’s immediate responses: the session culminated in a rich, collective retelling (racconto) of the story. This collaborative reconstruction of the narrative allowed the youngest students to take ownership of the vocabulary while building shared meaning.

Phonetic Discrimination and Movement in Kinder 4

The project also illustrated how early language learning blends naturally with active play. On Tuesday, July 21st, Ms. Sol Montero Vasallo introduced «The Sound Web» to Kinder 4 A, an activity designed to explore foundational letter sounds. Beginning with a reading of Eric Carle’s The Very Busy Spider, the teacher connected letters and their corresponding sounds to specific animal characters and expressive physical movements. 

The closure of the activity transformed the classroom floor into a giant graphic spiderweb containing different letter cards. Upon hearing a specific word, the children jumped onto the corresponding section of the web and executed its phonemic action. This dynamic exemplifies how high pedagogical standards are achieved in early childhood by aligning cognitive rigor with sensory-based, active discovery.

By fostering an environment where teachers document their lesson plans and learn from one another’s best practices, “Play & Learn” proves that second-language acquisition at Instituto Crandon is a deeply collaborative journey, ensuring that our students’ early educational milestones are always grounded in wonder, movement, and meaningful human connection.

Related articles: Play & Learn: Fostering Innovation Through Collaboration in Early Childhood