Toddler Program

april 2023

Our house! A child led construction!

When tragedy struck; so did inspiration! Today one of our houses came crumbling down due to wear and tear. This presented an exciting opportunity for the children to take a front seat in the construction of a new house. Bringing out a new box we presented it to the children and encouraged the children to think critically about HOW to create this house. The children placed their hands onto the box, thinking and considering the box. L crawled underneath but, Oh No! He can’t get out! During this experience the children were tasked with decision making, critical thinking and problem solving opportunities as they discussed amongst themselves and with educators “What does a house need?” We were so excited to sit and record their running dialog as they engaged in these contemplative discussions.

Lolo “What do we need to get into our house?”

W “A Handle!”

A “I have Keys”

Giving W the handle from the previous door we watched as he pressed it to the box, unsure of his next step.

W “We need a handle to open the door.”

Lolo “Where’s the door?”

Wa “Right here!”

Lolo then gives Wa a marker and asks Wa to draw using the lines to show where Lolo should cut. Wa then begins to create compact lines And Lolo begins cutting on his lines. This was a wonderful opportunity for the children to experience purposeful mark making as they watched their marks be created into something larger than a mark.

When Lolo is complete the children open and close the door, peeking into the dark box inside.

Wa “Door! Can’t fit in”

A “It’s very little. We can’t go in”

Lolo “How can we make it fit?”

W “Cut it more”

Lolo then gives W the marker to show us where to cut it more. W begins creating long, large lines beside Wa's door.

W “A long line!”

Lolo then cuts over W’s lines, creating a door for us to enter our house.

W “Handle to open it!”

Wa “Round windows”

A “I see in the window.”

W “I draw around, a big house in there”

S “A bigger Window!”

Later the children were given the opportunity to take their drawings back to the house and redraw their windows onto our house for Lolo to cut out.

W “I can’t get in, it’s too small Lolo”

Lolo “What are windows for W?”

Wa “Look in house!”

Reflecting on our exploration this morning we can hear the pride in the children’s voices as they speak about it. How empowering it is that they were able to have autonomy and power over this exploration while building confidence in decision making and problem solving opportunities!dren then assist Lolo in attaching the handle onto their door, taking the handle onto the door. The children are encouraged to study and explore the handle and think about how we could attach it.

W takes the handle and pushes it hard against the door “What else does our house need?Wa “Windows!”

A “Big Windows!”

W “Little Windows!”

With so many ideas of what our windows needed to be the children were invited to the art table to sketch their representations of a window. Many children took size and shape into close consideration as they drew

Wa “Round windows”

A “I see in the window.”

W “I draw around, a big house in there”

S “A bigger Window!”

Later the children were given the opportunity to take their drawings back to the house and redraw their windows onto our house for Lolo to cut out.

W “I can’t get in, it’s too small Lolo”

Lolo “What are windows for W?”

Walker “Look in house!”

Reflecting on our exploration this morning we can hear the pride in the children’s voices as they speak about it. How empowering it is that they were able to have autonomy and power over this exploration while building confidence in decision making and problem solving opportunities!

Lauren Dewar RECE, Selena Martin, Wasantha Wanodani BEd SNE Post Grad Cert in Ed ECE ECD