세상에서 가장 잘 노는 아이가 꿈을 이룬다

아이의 숨은 가능성을 깨우는 놀이의 힘

"아이는 꽃처럼 서두르지 않고 피어납니다." 이 문장은 이 책이 말하고자 하는 바를 함축적으로 담고 있다. 아이들의 성장은 자연스러운 흐름 속에서 각자의 속도로 이루어지며, 조급함은 오히려 그 과정을 방해할 뿐이다. 지은이는 이 책을 통해 유치원 현장에서 30년을 보내고, 세 아이의 엄마로서의 경험을 통해 얻은 깨달음을 공유한다. 그 핵심은 바로 놀이가 아이의 성장과 배움에 있어 얼마나 중요한 역할을 하는지에 대한 것이다.

이 책은 단순히 놀이의 중요성을 강조하는 것에 그치지 않고, 놀이가 아이의 사회적 관계, 창의성, 탐구심을 어떻게 키워주는지에 대해 깊이 있게 탐구한다. 지은이는 놀이가 단순한 오락이 아니라, 아이가 미래를 설계하는 중요한 언어라고 말한다. 아이가 놀이를 통해 관계를 맺고, 상상력을 발휘하며, 문제를 해결하는 과정은 그 자체로 배움의 연속이기 때문이다.

특히 지은이는 부모와 교사들에게 이렇게 조언한다. ‘아이를 믿고 기다려주는 것’이야말로 그들의 성장을 돕는 가장 큰 힘이라고. 아이가 자유롭게 놀 수 있는 환경을 제공하고, 그 안에서 스스로 배우고 성장할 수 있도록 지지하는 것이 중요하다. 이 책은 그러한 믿음을 실천으로 옮기고자 하는 모든 이들에게 귀중한 통찰과 영감을 줄 것이다.

지은이 : 강인숙

유아교육과 유아영재학을 전공하고, 30여 년간 유치원 현장에서 아이들과 함께 울고 웃으며 배워왔다. 아이들의 눈빛 속에서 세상의 빛을 발견했고, 작은 손길 속에서 미래를 보았다. 현장 경험을 토대로 대학에서 학생들을 가르치며, 교육의 뿌리와 열매가 모두 아이들 곁에 있음을 전해왔다. 아이 스스로 날개가 있음을 느끼고 펼칠 수 있도록 돕는 것, 그것이 교육자로서 지켜온 가장 소중한 믿음이다.

ㆍ계명대학교 대학원 영재교육학과

ㆍ창신대학교 외래·겸임교수 역임

ㆍ현) 유치원 교육원장

머리말··································································································· 4

1장 아이는 천천히 배운다

1. 아이는 천천히 배운다········································································ 12

2. 아이의 유전자는 부모다····································································· 19

3. 처음부터 잘하는 아이는 없다······························································ 25

4. 아이에게도 때론 좌절이 필요하다························································ 31

5. 아이의 감정을 만지게 하라································································· 38

6. 주위 환경도 교사다··········································································· 44

7. 엄마의 행복은 아이의 마음에 담긴다··················································· 51

2장 육아가 거짓말처럼 수월해지는 소통의 기술

1. 거짓말을 몰라요··············································································· 60

2. 수줍음일까, 두려움일까?···································································· 67

3. 아이의 공격성은 어디에서 오나··························································· 73

4. 버릇없는 아이가 아닙니다·································································· 79

5. 집중을 하나도 못해요········································································ 85

6. 울음은 약하지 않아요········································································ 90

7. 스스로 힘이 생겨요··········································································· 95

8. 아이의 성교육, 어렵지 않아요····························································101

3장 상상력과 창의력을 높여주는 8가지 놀이

1. 뇌를 다양하게 자극하는 보드게임·······················································110

2. 공간 지각 능력과 기억 조합을 발달시켜주는 블록놀이···························116

3. 기억력과 조절 능력을 발달시키는 메모리 게임·····································122

4. 구슬, 사고력을 굴리다······································································129

5. 협응력과 조절력을 발달시키는 신체놀이·············································135

6. 사고력과 창의력이 자라는 퍼즐놀이···················································141

7. 심미적 상상력을 키우는 놀이·····························································147

8. 협업 능력을 높여주는 전래놀이··························································154

4장 놀이가 통합지식으로 연결되는 6가지 방법

1. 나는 건축가예요··············································································162

2. 나는 자연탐구가예요········································································169

3. 나는 요리사예요··············································································177

4. 나는 탐험가예요··············································································184

5. 나는 시인이에요··············································································192

6. 나는 예술가예요··············································································199

5장 세상에서 가장 잘 노는 아이가 꿈을 이룬다

1. 놀이는 창의력이다···········································································208

2. 놀이는 사회관계성이다·····································································213

3. 안전한 놀이만 해야 할까?·································································219

4. 아이의 자존감·················································································225

5. 잘 노는 아이는 다르다······································································231

6. 놀이는 상상이자 꿈이 된다································································236

7. 아이를 믿는 만큼 꿈이 자란다····························································242