Is it just a hammock? As we continue n the journey of PLAY based learning in early childhood, let’s take a quick look at the “lessons” learned from hanging up a hammock.

Here is a list of things the children are learning through their interactions with each other and a hammock!

Competence, cooperation, courage, muscular development, muscular strength, make believe, repetition, coordination, kinesthetic awareness, conflict management, struggle, frustration, helping others, laws of motion, force, risk assessment, turn taking, stress relief, and oh YES, play and fun!!

No instructions necessary, no batteries required and all the above are skills needed to succeed for years to come. This is getting a bang for your buck!

This week I had to physically step back and reset rather than interfere with the children at play. This is what happened.

I said to the teacher that was outside with me that I was “hovering” near a couple of children monitoring the situation. She said to me, “hovering or in proximity, I am curious what you are thinking”.  This caused me to pause and reflect on my own meaning.

For me, hovering meant I was ready to “pounce” in to fix or stop something that was happening. Proximity meant I was close enough for the children to rely on me if needed. In proximity I could observe without the intention of intervening. As is turns out I did nothing as the children solved their issue on their own. I do not even know what the issue was. I do know it was not my issue to solve. It was theirs and they were empowered to solve it.

My experience is the same when allowing children to test their physical abilities, even with practice it is hard to observe and not rush in to “protect”.  Children need to assess the “risk” for themselves before proceeding. This makes for good decision makers, a lifelong skill we want to instill at a young age.

I am grateful for people who want a respectful discourse and allow for our respective learning and growth. I appreciate how language is powerful and sets up a way of being.

Will you empower children solve their own “problems”?

There is no bad weather, just bad clothing”

“I’ve always liked that slogan. I first heard it from nature kindergarten educators whose students were outside every day, all day, in all kinds of weather, in places like Norway and Denmark. Now we all say it!” Rusty Keeler, Author and Playground Designer

I agree with Rusty!

What is weather? Why do we label it good or bad? Weather is just interesting. We should experience and learn about it as part of our natural world. All weather is safe and can be comfortable when properly dressed! This is important even more so in times of CoVid we are outdoors more than ever.

How can you help make outdoor time fun, education and pleasant no matter what mother nature has in store?

Here is how for colder temperatures:

         Dress in multiple layers! T-shirt, shirt and sweater or vest, pants and a larger pair of sweatpants or snow pants to layer, OR long underwear and pants and warm socks

         Provide your child with outer winter clothes:

         Jacket, snow pants, and snow boots (**not fashion” boots), a hat and several pairs of mittens, neck gaiter

          Raincoat, rain pants, rain boots, brimmed hat (like a baseball cap) and an umbrella OR a rain suit!

We are ready to go now! Outdoors every day and loving it!

read by AnnMarie Mattachione

By Karma Wilson

read by Julie Lougee

Listen to my Alaskan colleague read a childhood classic “Are You My Mother?” by P.D. Eastman. Reading the Spanish translation “¿Eres Tú Mi Mamá?” is educator and niaaeyc member Osslemy Gomez!

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