october 2024
This month, our after-school program was buzzing with excitement as the children gathered around to play the beloved Story Jar Game. The game quickly became a favorite, offering endless opportunities for creativity and collaboration!
Each day, the kids eagerly drew prompts from the jar—silly characters, thrilling settings, and unexpected plot twists—and worked together to build imaginative stories. From farmers growing flowers like cupcakes, to zebras going on airplanes, no two stories were alike!
With the amount of participation from the children, we found that multiple people were always wanting to tell stories. With only having one jar, the children suggested we make a second one with different items inside. The children brainstormed ideas for this second jar and we decided to make it a Halloween theme with it being October. Small Halloween props such as pumpkins, bats, ghosts, and costume accessories were added to the jar. Together a few children and an educator came up with some new settings following the Halloween theme. Places like a haunted house, a cabin in the woods, and a dark forest were just a few of the many places they came up with! We are hoping to continue with our story jars and add or make changes to them to keep the creativity flowing! Some of our stories can be found below!
This experience reflects the Reggio Emilia philosophy, where children are seen as capable, creative thinkers and active participants in learning. The open-ended storytelling aligned with the idea of "the hundred languages"—allowing them to express their thoughts, ideas, and imaginations freely. It also fostered collaboration, encouraging children to listen, communicate, and co-create the narrative.
Through this playful experience, the children demonstrated the Reggio principle of relationships—strengthening social bonds by working together, respecting others' contributions, and building meaningful connections. It was a joyful moment that embodied the Reggio value of following the children’s interests, reinforcing that their ideas and voices are integral to learning.
Come into the gym and see the stories on display!
Harmeek Kaur, B.ElEd, MEd.
Kushbu Patel, BEd, MEd.
Brittany Woolley, Educator