Overview
The most amazing ideas spring from the unfenced minds of young children. This chapter came about because the kids in Denita’s program brought their imaginations and experiences along when they had an opportunity to play and explore with a couple dollar-store balloon pumps.
The children self-organized and immediately took the lead when they discovered the novel pumps Denita plopped into the play area. The result? Exploration, cooperation, discovery, problem solving, sorting, classifying, and more.
Ingredients
hand-operated balloon pumps (water squirters work well too)
small craft pom-poms
Ping-Pong balls
Process
1. Plop the materials onto an activity table.
2. Step back.
3. Observe and be ready to support the play as it unfolds. Resist the urge to demonstrate how to use the balloon pumps. Let them figure it out and own the learning experience.
• Ramp up the play. Add a section of plastic rain gutter to the materials you’ve plopped. Kids usually turn the gutter piece into a ramp and blow items up or down it. Be prepared to follow their lead if your crew does something else.
• Dramatic pumps. Plop the pumps into your dramatic play area.
• Confetti cannon. Create a really small funnel with a piece of construction paper and a bit of tape. The narrow end should fit tightly over the nose of the pump. The wide end should measure an inch or so across. Fill the funnel with confetti or small bits of torn-up paper, and then blast it into the air. Mix in some glitter to add sparkle to your confetti cannon.
• Water pump. Add a few balloon pumps to water play, and see what the kids discover.
• Will it move? Have the kids gather a bunch of random items and then test to see if the items move when blasted with a balloon pump. Place the items that move in one pile and the ones that don’t in another.
• Racetrack. Draw a racetrack shape on a hunk of poster board or cardboard. Make sure you identify the track’s starting point and finish line. Place a craft pompom on the starting line, and let the kids take turns blasting it around the track. As they play, the kids will probably develop their own rules for the activity. Follow their lead.
Let Them Struggle
A child is standing two feet from you, trying to zip his coat. He is grunting and making other Oscar award–winning “struggle” noises and facial expressions. He doesn’t say a word, just keeps glancing to see if he has your attention.
Anyone who has young children in their lives is likely to know this scene well. It’s ripe with learning potential, but how the adult handles it greatly affects the child’s empowerment, perseverance, and sense of self-pride. Let the child struggle. Do not swoop in and do it for him. Do not put words into his mouth by saying, “Do you need help?” or worse, “Would you like me to zip that for you?”
Respect a child’s right to struggle, respect his right to determine when it is time for help, respect his right to earn that Oscar. In due time, the child will either find success on his own, figure out that he needs help and you aren’t going to offer unless he asks for what he needs, or break down in tears. All are worthy moments full of authentic learning.
Notes
There’s no need for suspense—check out the next chapter and see what we suspend . . .
