He Chose to Challenge Himself.

For those of you who don't know, I work in an Infant and Toddler room.  We have 12 infants and toddlers all under the age of 3.  

We have done our best to create a unique outside play space but there are days when it just feels a bit hemmed in and so we like to walk to one of our local parks a few blocks away.  This park is well kept with a large grassy area, perfect for running and chasing and sometimes kicking a ball.  Our little ones don't need much though as running in wide-open spaces is fun in itself.  There is some equipment at this park mostly designed for older children.  Our little ones figure out how to use it on some level and if our backs allow we will sometimes lift them into the swings.

Another feature of this park is a pile of large rocks, boulders I guess you would say.  It's amazing how many of our smallest children are attracted to this pile. Not all of the children, but quite a few.  These rocks were intentionally placed there, and have little pathways between them so that the children can go from one to the other.  And higher and higher.

This little fellow is the youngest in our group and as usual, I have learned amazing things from him and about him.  It's probably true that most of society thinks that teachers are supposed to teach students but I guess I am unusual.  I have to acknowledge that I get taught something most days by my students.  And well, hopefully, that is reciprocated as I am in relationship with them.

So, what did I learn from this really small person?  I learned that he is capable.  I learned that he can make choices for himself and follow through on those choices.  I learned that when he needs help, he will ask.  I learned that I could trust him.

Just to be clear, I stayed beside him, kept my hands to myself and bit my tongue.  Was it hard to watch him climb up on these boulders?  Yes, it was. The point I have come to in my practice is to support and encourage the personal growth of the individual children in my care.  I continually assessed the risk involved in this scenerio and that is why I am right beside this little one and not standing at the bottom. In fact, I asked my co-worker to take these pics because I was not taking my eyes off of him. 

He knew what he wanted and where he wanted to go.  It took him a while to figure out which route worked best.

He was comfortable and not afraid of where he chose to climb.  He used hands and feet and sometimes lay flat on the rocks until he placed his feet where he wanted them.

The next time we were at the park, he chose to climb on the boulders again.

* he is learning to problem - solve

*he is learning about his physical capabilities and limitations

*he is learning to be independent and making choices for himself

*he is learning to cope in a new environment

* he is using his large muscles

*he is experiencing nature and spending time outdoors

*he is socializing and turn-taking (there were other children climbing at the same time)

*he is intrinsically motivated and therefore is safer

*he will come away with personal satisfaction and pride because of his accomplishment

What are some benefits that you see?

Follow your dreams little one, the sky's the limit and even though I know you will figure it out in your own way and your own time.....the carrot does come up.

*photos used with permission*

Building a Story or Small World from the Bottom Up.

I first met Susan Munzer when I worked for the Childcare Resource and Referral at Kootenay Kids in Nelson, BC.  She was a very calm, gentle, smart and capable lady.  She is retired now and just before she did, she wrote a book including all of her amazing children's toys and story baskets.  It is called Learn to Play, Play to Learn.  I didn't know about story baskets before I met Susan.  I watched her tell stories using this method, I watched her demonstrate how she created all the pieces by hand and how she used them in different forms for play and for storytelling.  She was so inspirational for me that I have to give her the credit for a lot of what I create and sell in my small business shop.

Susan says in her book, "storytelling is one of the foundations for learning."  She also says that the quality of the story is very important.  I know that she used to write and memorize her stories so that it was presented the same way each time.

I would like to share in this post how I envision a story/small world being built.  With some of my sets, I have an actual story in mind and others I do not.  With some sets, you will need to keep in mind the age of the child and adapt your storytelling to suit their developmental stage.  Keep this in mind if you are going to allow the children to play with the small world story themselves.  It helps to model how they could use it during a gathering or circle time. 

 These sets would lend themselves to a nature table or shelf display as a focal point.  Bringing in other seasonal treasures, books, fabric, and animals help expand the scene.

    

This is a small wooden pond (ocean) that I made recently.  As you can see I added a scarf (beach?) and a doily (more water?).  I love doilies and I like to give children an assortment of textures and materials to spark their imagination and pique their senses.

Do you have some shells? Driftwood and a frog or two?  Maybe a turtle?

Add in some stones and a flower.  Use what you have in your environment, your home or your childcare center.   You really do not need to go out and spend money.  Well maybe a bit, if you buy a pond from my market table!!  I found these lovely polished stones in a free bin on the roadside.

And maybe a duck would like to come and swim in the pond!  

So, in my opinion, the children would love to help with designing this setup.  Maybe each could add in an element where they want to.  Maybe the story is the setup.....once upon a time there was a beautiful pond...and what happened next?

Some songs you might sing are:

Five little ducks

Five green and speckled frogs

There was a little turtle

The little white duck

The fun thing about this pond I made is that it has a flip side!  A two for one, because that's just so much fun!

A meadow!

Add some Susan Munzer inspired flowers.  Maybe some seasonal flowers that are real or fake ones if that is what you have.  Maybe add a stump or two.

Some stones would be nice and a little frog might like to hop through the flowers.

And how about a wooden house for the little gnome family.  If you do not have gnomes, use what you have.  Other animals, or little people or small stuffies.  

You could make up some adventures for the gnome children like how they met a frog while walking through the meadow and maybe the frog could talk to them.  I wonder what it would say?

I hope you enjoyed this short tutorial and find it helpful in a small way.  

If you are interested in buying a pond/meadow or any accessories email me!  I have things available in the shop.  Postage is usually around $15 Canadian.

Dads Saying Yes.

These pictures make my heart sing.  

These two young men are the Dads of my grands.  

What these pictures signify to me are two dads who are investing.  They are spending time with their little ones, loving them, teaching them, reading to them.

Time spent.  Quality time.

In my experience as a parent of three grown children and as an Early Childhood Educator I would say that they will never regret the time spent.  I love that they are choosing to do it.  I know their choice brings joy to their little family.  Often times, parenting is undervalued.  I, for one, want to commend these young dads for their effort.

I love the simplicity of reading and being with.

This post reminded me of a book by Robert McCloskey called Make Way For Ducklings.  It was first published in 1941, so it's an oldie....but a goodie!

"Mr. and Mrs. Mallard grew tired looking for the perfect spot to raise their family.  Stopping off for a rest in the city, they were delighted to find it had everything they wanted.  But though there were no dangerous foxes or turtles, there were still surprises in store for the Mallards and their newly hatched ducklings.  An endearing childhood classic."

Simple Toys.

I sent my grandson a cord a while ago.  The cord came out of one of my hoodies and rather then go to the trouble of threading it back in, I sent it to him.  As a present!  As a toy. Guess what? He has actually had a lot of fun with it and it can occupy his attention for lengths of time.  It's one of his favorite items in his toy basket. A simple cord.

While I was visiting him last week, his mom, dad and I sat around visiting and observing him with this cord.  We tried to list some of the things he might be learning as he played.  Please note that all of the play was self-initiated.  Myles is 10 months old in these pics.

How long is it?  How wide can I stretch my arms?  What happens when I swing it really fast?

I can hold one hand up high and slide my other hand down low.

I can gather the cord together and twist it around my hand.  I can manipulate it.

I can taste it.  Being ten months old Myles is still very oral and is learning about his world through the sense of taste and smell.  He might be learning about the size, shape, surface texture, temperature or weight.  Or he might be teething.

He likes to swing the cord and hang it around his neck.  His parents are watching and supervising and so there is no hazard from this.  Part of his play with the cord included a book box.  He was intent on trying to get the cord into the box.  He worked on that for quite a while.

Swinging the cord while standing.  That included a whole new level of learning!

Myles reminded me yet again how children like things simple. 

We saw him working on:

*cause and effect

*fine motor skills

*gross motor skills

* problem-solving

....and more, just from the play with a cord.

So cool.

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