Rethinking clean-up time as a chance for play, purpose, meaningful work and community building.

Ross encourages us to lean in to the poop jokes, fart noises, and potty talk that young children find so enthralling. It's not just a case of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em." As children work to master their bodies and the realm of social interactions, talk of bodily functions can be an essential part of development.

(Link to our earlier conversation: Episode 19: Teaching with Bodily Functions in Mind)

Tom invites discussion of the anti-phobic powers of children's risky play. Spoiler alert: adults--and their fears--often get in the way, but there is hope that we can rise above our own phobias and create the conditions for mastery.  (Tom was inspired by the article, "Children's Risky Play from an Evolutionary Perspective: The Anti-Phobic Effects of Thrilling Experiences.")

Ross is inspired by a model of intergenerational care. He invites the group to explore the benefits and beauty of this "mixed age" approach.

Every child deserves a chance to be challenged. When planning environments for young children's play, how do we create the conditions that can provide challenges for all abilities? 

Hot on the heels of the discussion of running, Joey invites the group to examine children's chase play. Chase games range from simple to complex and build on many essential skills from tracking to non-verbal communication. Turns out, the ability to play chase is a foundational skill for life.

Children need to run. It's a way for them to express joy and excitement, feel powerful, tap into energy, and explore their environment. Since children need to run--and love to run--adults should want them to run. How can we provide for this basic need and source of joy for children?

Children's fine motor development is a complex, whole body process which is often oversimplified. Educators can be quick to label doing puzzles as "fine motor" while overlooking the ways in which pouring water from a big container or climbing a tree also supports small motor development. The conversation touches on how the rush to get children ready to write can cloud our thinking about the richness of fine motor skills.

(This discussion draws from some of the ideas in Episode 126: Big Motor, Small Motor )

Tom starts with the premise that children think by moving. If we ask young children to stop moving, it's like asking them to stop thinking. If we want to find out what children know, we should pay attention to their movements. But, by calling moving thinking do we undervalue movement for its own sake?

Mike opens up a discussion about play with the observation that even teachers who know the value of play don't always allow for it. Children's play can interrupt the adult's agenda and make them feel like things are out of control. Often there is a mismatch between a child's playful intentions and an adult's attitude of frustration. Hopefully adults can pause and reflect: what's the harm in a game of Robot Boots anyway?