When is Enough, Enough, when is it NOT enough? What does too much mean?
What does too little mean?
How can we expect children to understand these ideas if we do not let them explore when it really is too much glue?
If children are self-conscious about "Am I using too much glue, my Mama won't like if I use 3 google eyes, I am supposed to use 2 eyes, Can I mix this paint with this color?" If they are preoccupied with these thoughts, Creativity STOPS!
We know what will happen if children use little Dots of glue and attach their pieces in an orderly fashion, we already know that!! What children are often trying to discover, if we let them, is what they DON'T already know.
I don't believe in teaching children what they could find out by themselves or from another child. Adults are very limited in their creativity and their way of thinking. Because of our experiences growing up and living life, we often think from a limited point of view. Children are blessed to not have 30 or 40 or 50 years of life experience guiding how things are Supposed to be. Let's teach them to take advantage of that!
I am as concerned as anyone about teaching our children conservation, being environmentally friendly, less is more approach, not being wasteful, etc...But...
Is using a whole bottle of glue wasteful? I agree that children need limits and/or boundaries but isn't it wonderful to be able to offer them opportunities without as many limits? We can learn as we go how and when to draw the line?
I have a small "studio" set up for my daughter on our back porch (See picture below).
As you can see from these two pictures (Above and below), the children have come so far with their knowledge of each medium (As well as the parents learning to let go and let their child explore freely!). They are able to use the chalk to make lots of lines and circles but also put it on it's side to create a rubbing effect.
He finds his own way to interact with the sand, chalk, and glue. He poured his sand all over his paper and then used the white pencil to move the sand around on the paper. He was joyfully moving the pencil fast and slowly and carefully observing how this movement affected the paper.
Here S. is gluing big puddles of glue which you can see creates a beautiful effect! It will be interesting to hear and see what she thinks about her picture after it dried. (The glue is very difficult to see on the paper, once dry.)
Music Sweet Music!!
It's a wonderful area for my daughter to use A Lot of materials, we don't set out an intention to create a mess (although it sometimes happens, but not usually!), she is free to look and ask for the materials she needs. If she is disrespectful to her materials, they are off limits until she is ready (breaking crayons on purpose, not putting lids back on dotters, throwing glitter on the ground, etc...). There is a difference between purposeful creativity and construction and/or destructive type behaviors. I do believe strongly in teaching our children how to care for their creative materials and toys!
One day, she wanted to use the jar of google eyes. I poured her out a few (of course, this was not enough), she wanted the whole jar. I agreed. What happened truly amazed me! She sorted out all the Big eyes, glued them carefully down on her paper. When all that was left was the tiny google eyes, she began spiraling the glue down on her paper, dropping a handful of eyes, then spiraling more glue on top of the first layer, adding more eyes, until she had created a Sculpture of google eyes. (SEE BELOW). This is one of my favorite pieces of hers because it reminded me the importance of Listening and how children often use More than we would like but it sometimes results in something we never could have "planned"!
As you can see from these two pictures (Above and below), the children have come so far with their knowledge of each medium (As well as the parents learning to let go and let their child explore freely!). They are able to use the chalk to make lots of lines and circles but also put it on it's side to create a rubbing effect.
He finds his own way to interact with the sand, chalk, and glue. He poured his sand all over his paper and then used the white pencil to move the sand around on the paper. He was joyfully moving the pencil fast and slowly and carefully observing how this movement affected the paper.
Here S. is gluing big puddles of glue which you can see creates a beautiful effect! It will be interesting to hear and see what she thinks about her picture after it dried. (The glue is very difficult to see on the paper, once dry.)
Music Sweet Music!!The instruments offered so many pathways of exploration for the children. Songs were bursting out of many... the children were combining instruments together in new ways, they were practicing how to ask another child for a instrument, they were learning how to wait for a coveted instrument, and they were using their sense of hearing and building an awareness of how they can create a beat and/or rhythm.
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