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October 19, 2017 by Sandy Calcagno Leave a Comment

Real or Imaginary?

Halloween is the perfect time for monsters, right? Not all of the time. Many children age 2-6 are very afraid of monsters and spooky creatures. Children this age don’t know reality from fiction. We tell them that something is not real they repeat it but see it on TV or in a movie, it looks real to them and so it is even though you just told them it is fake.

The perfect example is Spiderman. Children love Spiderman. He is a person who is bit by a spider (scary thought and can create fear of spiders) though he can do super cool things and helps people fight the bad guys!

Today at school we had a talk about Spiderman. The children said he wasn’t real, but in the next thought, said “maybe I can get bit and turn into Spiderman too”.

At this age children don’t understand what real and fantasy quite is. They are starting to but the lines blend together a blur a lot. They think cartoons are not real but a movie with real people they are. Over my 30 plus years of teaching I have talked to many children about this conundrum, and even though the characters have changed, the problem of real vs fake is still there.

Children of this age mind have not developed the capacity to completely understand this topic. Now, especially with the awesome computer graphics that have the capability of making everything look real, how does a child stand a chance of figuring it out?

Definitely imaginary!

As adults we need to just keep talking about the subject of real and fake or pretend. Reassuring the children that even though the character in the movie looked real and alive, it is not and it will not come and get them. Be patient with your child; learning this topic takes years of practice.

This extends to Halloween night. There are many scary costumes and exciting ones as well. Children who go trick or treating or just open the door to trick or treaters may be frightened or fooled into thinking the characters are real.

When visiting the costume store look at masks with your child, put one on; show them it is still you under that mask. This time of year can be scary or fun and sometimes a bit of both. Make sure to prepare your child for the night so they are not caught off guard.

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Our son started day care last year when he was two years old, after being home with his aunt full-time. We enjoyed the social interactions he was getting and the friends he was making, however, we fel… Read more
The Uhlig Family
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We love The Big Barn Preschool! My son has been attending for 2 years. The teachers are dedicated, and providing a loving, nourishing, safe environment. I feel completely at ease, that my son is in th… Read more
We love The Big Barn Preschool!
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Wonderful and nurturing preschool setting! The Big Barn Preschool welcomed my son with loving arms. The well-qualified staff knew how to make the transition from home care to daycare an extremely posi… Read more
Wonderful and nurturing preschool!
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I cannot recommend The Big Barn Preschool enough.  Not only is the staff highly qualified and extremely professional, they have been very kind, warm and patient towards my daughter.  The school is v… Read more
Elizabeth
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My son just started kindergarten. It’s been one week. His teacher saw us playing outside after school and came up to me to tell me she was AMAZED at Royce’s reading skills. She asked if he had any… Read more
Kelly Gunnett
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I am writing a review for Big Barn Preschool. My daughter, Lily, has attended Big Barn Preschool since she was three years old. Lily will be attending Kindergarten in the Fall and will be moving on fr… Read more
Marie Owen
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I went to visit the preschool and as soon as I pulled on the property I knew this was anything but generic. I took a tour of the preschool and before the end of the tour I knew this was where our chil… Read more
This preschool would enrich their lives
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My family moved to Schaumburg in the Spring of 2015. Buying a new home in a new town was something that scared us to pieces. We heard that Schaumburg had great school systems and that it was a remarka… Read more
Jenna & Jason Middleton
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Our 4 ½ year old daughter, Brianna has been attending the Big Barn Preschool for almost a year now. Brianna absolutely loves the teachers and students at the school and often does not want to leave w… Read more
Michael and Tamara Hanson
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Our three-year-old son just finished his first year at Big Barn and we have been so pleased with his progress there. He was a late talker and spoke very little when he started but has progressed leaps… Read more
The Howen Family
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