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Angel
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| Posted: June 11 2009 at 6:07pm | IP Logged
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The reappearance of the small wooden figures and finger puppets thread coincides with an all day cleaning up the learning room for me  , and both have me thinking. I love the little wooden animals, Folkmanis puppets, etc. But I have a very hard time "displaying" these in the same way that I see others doing.
For instance, when one of my 3 yos was interested in penguins and all things Antarctic, I gathered together some penguin Toobs (not wooden, but little anyway) and a penguin puppet, and I set them out on a low shelf in a basket. Within minutes, they were literally all over the house. I think that most of the penguins have now migrated to the bathtub. In one sense this is a good thing because it means that the dc ARE interested in what I put out and want to play with it, learn about it, etc. On the other hand... it doesn't really last very long as a "display". 
How do you navigate between the extremes of "this is just a display and not to touch" and "we can no longer play with the little animals because most of them have been buried in the flower bed"?
I am also thinking about the Waldorfy kinds of season tables, which I have been afraid to attempt in my house because I am quite certain they would be completely dismantled by a 22 month old who likes to use chairs.
Any thoughts??
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Angela
Mom to 9, 7 boys and 2 girls
Three Plus Two
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violingirl
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| Posted: June 11 2009 at 9:53pm | IP Logged
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For things that I want them to keep in a group, I make sure it's in a basket or box where it's obvious that they belong there, and then when they would like to use them they *have* to use a blanket as a mat. It gives them a big area to play on but also a boundary to keep things together. My 23-month-old is my scatter-er, so I'm still picking up a lot of far-flung pieces, but he's getting better at it each week. Now we're down to keeping pieces in the living room at least and not in the toilet.
My "seasonal display" is in a basket that comes out during my little one's nap time only- I've had to fish waaaaaay too many leaves and pinecone bits out of his mouth.
Your little one sounds like my little one- he can get anywhere and make a ladder out of ANYTHING. Once out of frustration when I had taken away everything he could climb on he grabbed a book, threw it on the floor and triumphantly stepped onto it- it was a 1/4 inch victory in his mind.
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Erin
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Mackfam
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| Posted: June 12 2009 at 7:23am | IP Logged
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Oh, I hope I can get my learning spaces post up later today...I have always loved setting out little vignettes for the children focused around themes, but always with the idea that they will be attractive enough to invite use. I love it that I take time to make something pleasing looking and then 10 minutes after my oldest son sees it, he will quietly rearrange the setting to "make more sense"! But, that is a treat for me! The idea is that he feels invited to interact with his environment, that it is not a static display.
I try to keep displays at different levels for the different ages...and reaches.
So, Doodlebugs (1) displays are all at floor level - they're themed (blocks, dolls, things that go, etc.)
Peanut's (4) displays are set out on or above his little table. He loves the little wooden figures and Folkmanis puppets - they are themed in display according to the picture book flavor of the day/week/month.
The seasonal display on the nature table is set up monthly usually. I encourage and invite the children to investigate. The older children know and respect the request to investigate on the seasonal table/shelf or on their table. So, those things don't wander.
The other items do wander...in thinking about it, the key for me has been those 15 minute quick tidies. We move through the day in learning blocks of time, and at the end of a learning block is usually some kind of break, like lunch or outside time - I just sweep through the house with a basket and with everyone with me!!!! (Sometimes, I assign different people to a room) Since we stay in certain areas of the house during the day, it's fairly easy if we tidy after the morning learning block and after the afternoon learning block to keep things in their spaces. So, if I find the little wooden squirrel under the rocking chair, I would probably say, "oh my, Peanut, this belongs near Sara Squirrel...quick, run and put her back!" and he does!
So, like you, I think it's so neat that the penguins were so attractive that the littles instantly gravitated to them...and we're not trying to make those static, untouchable displays that are in schools in our home - we want these materials to invite use, investigation, and exploration. Perhaps set as a goal 2 quick tidies, or even one a day now that you've bulldozed your learning room, Angela. And whisk things back into place. You may find the penguins in the bathtub every afternoon, and decide their display belongs on the edge of the sink in the bathroom!
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Jen Mackintosh
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Mackfam
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| Posted: June 12 2009 at 9:13am | IP Logged
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I wanted to add something I didn't mention in my first post that I was thinking about this morning while doing dishes...
Setting out vignettes for all the different ages in my home has meant that there is something attractive and touchable for all...so there is less temptation to destroy the nature shelf. It does still happen that Doodlebug grabs the binoculars and the bird identiflyer and makes off with them, but I do have them right at her height, so that's sort of my fault. It's not as often though, because set right in front of the nature center, I set out a small basket and display for her with wooden birch tree stumps and limbs made into a set of blocks. Attractive and fun for her to grasp. So, they're the primary attraction for her in that area along with the perennial favorite - the basket of silks. Having themed items for her around their displays seems counter-intuitive, but it works in that there is something for them in that area - the whole zone isn't FORBIDDEN. So, when she grabs the nature guide, I can just gently remove it and redirect her to one of her board books or the basket of silks.
It's always evolving though, Angela, as the children grow and enter new phases and stages. I'm constantly stepping back and evaluating how I can make things accessible while still providing for the limits within that freedom.
But, the quick tidy thing works! It will be on my gravemarker...
"She lived in a constant state of quick tidy"
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Meredith
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| Posted: June 12 2009 at 10:45am | IP Logged
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Jennifer, that is so funny! I am sure my ds (now 4) will be strewing materials around the house until he goes to college Hence, my dd and I have become professional "quick tidiers"!
Fun ideas here, thanks for sharing.
Blessings,
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Meredith
Mom of 4 Sweeties
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KerryK
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| Posted: June 12 2009 at 12:17pm | IP Logged
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This is a challenge for me right now, as well. My 27 month old uses everything big as a ladder and everything little as a ball  I have just begun trying to set simple things up at his level. Things definitely travel around and it is up to me to retrieve them and put them back.
When I taught preschool this was a challenge, as well. We wanted the kids to openly explore the materials, but sometimes we wanted a special display. It took a lot of training to get the kids to keep track of things. At around 3 they could usually begin handling it, though. Before age 3 we didn't have much luck without beginning to really limit what they could do with the materials, and we didn't want to do that.
I'm just keeping it simple, knowing that this time shall pass!
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Kerry
Mom to
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4Real Forums : Nurturing the Years of Wonder
Topic: making displays for little ones
