 Lately, I have been pondering on how we have created an inauthentic childhood. We tell children to hold an emoji to tell us how they feel. We tell them they have to be friends with every child in the classroom, “We are all friends.” We even describe their feelings for them, I see that you are frustrated.” We constantly limit what they can and cannot do, even when it goes against their instincts and choices. “Tree cookies need to stay in the block area.” “Wear your coat because it is cold outside.” We fill them with fears that stunt their risk-taking when we say to them, “Be careful, you may fall.” We tell them to sit down and not move when they need to move their bodies.
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 An educator tells a child, "We don't hit our friends." The child responds, "He is not my friend." This is a true story that happened as I observed students during a clinical practicum class. For some reason, in early childhood education programs, many educators habitually use the word “friends” when they talk to children. "Let's hold hands, friends" or "time to sit together, friends." They also spend time reminding children that everyone in the program is a friend. What’s the problem with forcing the concept of friendship on children? I think that the simple vignette offered at the beginning of this blog is the answer.
Every month, I share some of my unexpected discoveries and resources I have carefully curated and researched. Every resource I offer is something that I have used myself or have spent time investigating its purpose and application.
Learn how to analyze an early childhood environment through six key terms (aesthetic, authentic, equity, dynamic, praxis, and critical reflection). Read Loose Parts: Inspiring Culturally Sustainable Environments. Plan to become an EDesinger - Learn more about the Design in Mind (DiM) Thinking Framework for addressing dilemmas and collaborative decisions within early education systems. The DiM framework supports educational designers (EDesigners) to work cooperatively and quickly in identifying creative, hope-driven solutions for complex problems. #Simplexity. Get the book - Design In Mind: A Framework for Sparking Ideas, Collaborations, and Innovation in Early Education. When I want to be challenged, I read Tom Drummond's blog. He never stops provoking me to think and reflect. Learn to Steal Like an Artist. Read Austin Kleon’s books. We are living in a constant state of right and wrong, which I believe is hindering creativity and innovation. Today's challenges emerge at an ever-accelerating rate, and we struggle to find the imaginative answers we crave. Think Wrong by John Bielenberg and Mike Burn has shifted my thinking and gave me a different perspective about the way I view what I do as a creative (not wrong) process.  "We can't allow children to go up the slide." "Licensing does not allow us to have Loose Parts in the environment." "Our insurance does not allow us to have swings." "Parents do not want us to talk about diversity. They say it is divisive."
 Stress has a way of slowly entering our lives. Once it is there, it tends to stay as an uninvited guest. Life challenges, change, and crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic confront us unexpectedly. People tell us to take the challenges one step at a time or send us motivational messages to keep us going. Sometimes these messages work. Other times they are not helpful. In these moments of stress, we should turn to what children have known for centuries: the power of play. Children play without an adult telling them what to do. They find a sense of flow and get lost in imaginary worlds. What is even more critical is that play brings laughter, relaxation, and understanding beyond any motivational message. Here are five ideas to get playfulness back into your life.
 Co-Authored By: Miriam Beloglovsky – Playful Transformation Kasey Kile, Director of Professional Development – Kodo Kids Diane Spahn, Director of Education – Kodo Kids Many questions that we hear involving Loose Parts have to do with how we organize and display the Loose Parts.
A simple concept to consider when organizing materials is “less is more”. When there is a combination of too many types of Loose Parts, children may find it difficult to choose or make decisions on the different ways they can use them. It is important, though, to consider having more than one of the same type of Loose Parts to assist children in organizing their ideas and increasing their creativity. To get started, consider the following:  When children play in a space or with Loose Parts, they experience it uniquely. Rather than focusing on the area or an object's adult-intended purpose, children may view the experience in terms of affordances or the properties of objects that define their possible use.
 Co-Authored By: Miriam Beloglovsky – Playful Transformation Kasey Kile, Director of Professional Development – Kodo Kids Diane Spahn, Director of Education – Kodo Kids On January 27th, Miriam Beloglovsky and Kodo had the wonderful opportunity to present the webinar, Provoking Inquiry with Loose Parts, in collaboration with Early Childhood Investigations. With that, we received such thoughtful and meaningful questions around Loose Parts. Throughout the next several weeks, we will continue the conversation with you by answering some of the questions that were presented to us.
Disclaimer: The information provided by Kodo Kids and Playful Transformation within this blog is for general information only. All information within the blog is for informational purposes only. For further information on sanitation protocols, please refer to the Center for Disease Control, State Health Guidelines, and program specific policies and procedures. We recommend looking at the state licensing standards, the CDC and local health professionals to provide guidelines and recommendations for cleaning and sanitation methods. Thank you for your questions regarding using Loose Parts by age group. We’re excited to continue the conversation. Let’s begin by addressing some of your questions about toddlers. Authors: |
Miriam Beloglovsky
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