This week the outdoors welcomed us into her warm sunny arms. With this emergence of our friend the sun a second week in a row, we were able to explore even more in our outdoor classroom. The sandbox was filled to the brim with small bodies scooping, dumping, and digging. The children began to make each other smoothies which consisted of sand in a cup with a stick for a straw. They also created yummy muffins that had strawberries, chocolate, and even cheese! The emergence of dramatic play in the sandbox is new and a welcome addition to our outdoor play. Some friends created quesadillas and pancakes in our sand sifters. They discussed between them what ingredients they wanted on their food and sprinkled it in.
As we worked together in the sandbox, the teachers realized that collaboration comes naturally to us when we’re in that space. We began to wonder what makes the children feel more comfortable sharing materials and space in the sandbox. Is it the abundance of sand? Is it the large space they are in? Is it the materials provided? It is something we will continue to observe and document as time goes on.
In recent months we have seen an emergence of collaborative game creation. These games are often created by one or two children who then invite others in with phrases like, “Come play with me!” or “Do you want to play?” One of our current favorites has been children pretending to be Bears (or Osos) in the tunnel. Children will crawl inside and begin roaring to start the game. Once another child notices they climb on top of the bear den and begin playing peek-a-boo with whoever is inside. This game often leads to fits of giggles as they play together.
