It's Like a Jungle

Children were using all the farm animals and wild animal on the floor with the farm and all wooden block for a week. I got a gift from my friends, wrapped with all the green paper grass and a beautiful wooden frame.  I thought it would be great if I can add it for my preschool children to explore. I spread all the grass in our beautiful clear water table and put the wooden frame with crystal marbles and the crocodile and duck.

 I assumed that children will have fun and be involved with this activity for a long time. I was astonished to observe how very excited and creative they can be with only this little added material. At the beginning they all wanted to explore the grass with their senses. I was amazed to hear all the vocabulary from the children.  One of the child said-"oh not its too soft." Another one ,"its like a noodle." Some of them were sharing that they have grass in their backyards. They wanted to feed grass to the cow. Some of them helped the animals to drink water from the pond(wooden box).They all were interacting with the material for more then 20 minutes. 

Later, some children decided to move the grass beside our glass window.We are blessed to have a beautiful natural scenario to look at from our classroom window.  When children placed some grasses and wild animals with blue marvels, it was looking amazing. I was so full of joy to notice our young people's wondrous creativity. One child told me "sister Fatima -It's like a jungle -I make a jungle."  Other children join there and shared their idea about what happens in the jungle.  What kind of animal they saw-.  

Preschool children do not need expensive material to be engaged- they can have fun and learning with any simple material around us.  Recycling things, few colorful scarves or just some leaves and acorn can be their best friend.  The learning and possibilities are endless, alhamdulillah. 

B.C Early Learning Frame Work:

Feel valued for and explore their own strategies for their learning: Children were having uninterrupted play time. We always focus on children's interests. We always give time to the children to accomplish their activity. It is really upsetting for the children when they are deeply engage with an activity and adults interrupt their learning to make them join another activity. They have their own style of playing, as an adult we need to create the environment where they can explore and invent -so that they will feel respected.

Build, create, and designing different materials and techniques:  Children had the opportunity to explore and creative with the material. They were using the grass in the water table and then they wanted to place it besides the window. Some of them spread it on the floor as well. After their exploration, they used the broom and brush to sweep the floor. They are our designers, helpers and sometimes little coordinators as well. They give us clues about what we need to provide for their activity- in order to build their development and meet their educational needs.