Empower Children! Encourage Problem Solving

Encouraging children to solve problems teaches them to be responsible for their actions, both the good, and the not so good.  It also teaches us PATIENCE, as it takes quite a lot of self regulation to not step in and help a child solve a problem!

Last week, Erik spilt his milk during lunch.  Here is the conversation that followed the incident:

Jack:  "Uh oh.  Looks like you have a problem Erik"
Gavin:  "How are you going to solve that problem Erik?"
Ethan:  "Better get what you need."

Erik stood up, without saying a word and walked to the counter to get what he needed (paper towel).  Unfortunately the paper towel was just a bit out of his reach.

Erik:  "Um...Nita?  I could use a little help here."
Me:  "Sure Erik, I can help you."

I handed Erik the roll of paper towel.  He tore off a couple of pieces and began solving his problem.  When he was finished, he sat back down to enjoy the rest of his meal, a look of complete, 100% satisfaction and pride written boldly across his face.

Encouraging children to take ownership of their "whoopsies" and fixing the problem that said "whoopsy" might cause fosters responsibility and pride.

Not all problems stem from a whoopsy though.  Some problems just naturally exist in the environment and need to be solved on a daily basis.  Take our fort light for example.  When we built our home, I purposely put that light switch up out of the reach of little hands to avoid the temptation of turning the fort light on/off/on/off/on.....etc. In the end, I am so glad I put the fort light up high as it gives my crew a daily problem to solve!   If they want to play in the fort, they have to figure out how to turn on the light.

Just today, 2 year old Trillian came trudging across the room, dragging this chair behind him.  I quietly observed him, waiting to see what his plan was before I told him to put the chair away (thank goodness I have worked on the skill of observation and understanding.  I always try to first take time to understand the situation before I over-react)


When he stopped by the car bucket to retrieve a piece of track, I had a pretty good idea what he was planning.  I was also very impressed.  He has been in my program for just one month, and in that short amount of time has learned that solving problems is encouraged and welcomed here.

He pulled up the chair right underneath the fort light switch, climbed up onto the chair, and reached as far as his two year old growth would allow him!

Avery, observing along side of me, watched patiently as Trillian reached, and reached some more, giving up was not an option for this little monkey.

Avery finally stepped in and said "Come on Trillian, I will help you!  When you need help, just ask for it."  (I beamed at this moment, as it is a line I say many times during the day.  I loved seeing Avery supply Trillian with not only help, but nurturing as well!)

Turn the light on, take 2.....and ACTION! 


Armed with a much better tool, Trillian returned to his chair to attempt to solve the problem once again.  Watching him manipulate this much longer piece of track was hilarious!  I so wish I would have grabbed the video camera instead!


Trillian was determined to accomplish his task and to feel the sense of pride he has been watching everyone else enjoy.  He used all his strength to control the longer tool in order to turn on the light, but still no success.


Again, Avery was watching and trying her darndest to not just step in and do it for him.  I was very impressed with her self control, as she is a little mother hen, and loves nothing more then doing things for Trillian (putting on his shoes, his coat etc.)

Finally, Avery and I could stand it no more!  She looked at me and I nodded in approval.  No words needed to be spoken as we both knew what we were thinking.  "Yes, please help this poor, determined child!"

So teamwork finished the job, problem solved, task accomplished and HUGE pride was felt by all involved!!

Step back and take a look at your program.  Are children encouraged to solve problems?  Are they encouraged to ask for what they need? 

 

 It takes some time and consistency to foster an environment that encourages learning through problem solving, learning through mistakes and learning through taking responsbility.

 

Here are some key words that need to be used consistently in order to inspire an environment full of independent problem solvers. 

 

1)  "It looks like you have a problem that needs to be solved."

I say this anytime a child spills anything, bumps another child's tower, tattles that someone has taken a toy away...anything that creates a problem.  Giving the ownership of the problem to that child makes them responsible for finding a solution.  In the case of another child being mean to them, I like to empower the child with the right words to say back to someone.  Words like "I had that toy and I would like it back please.", or "I do not like it when you hit me.  Please do not do it again!!!"  Standing up for oneself is empowering and solving the problem is empowering...so, DOUBLE PRIDE!!

 

2)  "How are you going to solve this problem?" or "Do you have a plan?"

This gives children a chance to develope a plan of action.   Concrete thinking, imagination and creativity are needed to organize a plan in one's mind.  This question also causes the child to slow down, take time to think and analyze the situation.  All very "use your smarts" kind of things!

Asking a child about their plan also gives them a chance to express themselves with words.  Putting thoughts and actions into words fosters vocabulary and encourages a child to share his ideas.

 

3)  "Remember to ask for what you need."

I like to remind children that I am here for them, but they need to let me know with words.   The tools that they need, and assistance is but a simple request away.  Ask for what you need!

 

Finally, make sure to acknowledge problem solving with encouraging and pride-filled words.  A lot of little moments during our day are really problem solving if you just take a second to think about it.  Simply, a child letting you know that the toilet paper is all out in the bathroom is solving a problem.  Capture those moments with an encouraging and thankful word or two! 

 Empower children!

 

Keep it Simple...Children will Make it FABULOUS!

Sometimes, simple is better.....MOST times, simple is better!

The other day, as a way to make a station last one more day, I removed ONE component, and replaced it with another.

The original station:  colored toothpicks and plastic salt shakers.

The exchange:  sliced pool noodles (yep...the simple, pool noodles available for $1 at the Dollar Tree, cut into slices like you would slice a baguette) in place of the plastic salt shakers

The results:  FABULOUS!!!

The initial play resulted in a LOT of Birthday cakes!



See the learning?  Jack is counting how many "candles" are on his birthday cake!  Did I ask him to do this?  Nope...the
conversation amongst the children led to them counting the candles on his cake....ALL LED BY CHILDREN!



Finally, it happened....someone built UP.  Buh bye simple birthday cakes!

Through trial and error, Gavin learned that his stairs (on the left) needed a support (on the right).



When is the last time you felt this proud?! 
Feeling success and pride help children feel safe to TRY NEW THINGS!  Erik will try even harder to achieve other tasks such as zipping his coat, putting on shoes, writing his name all because of this little boost to his sense of pride!



Opportunities that have no right or wrong, no rules, just freedom help build confident and creative children!  Creative children can solve problems, manipulate materials and invent new stuff!

A tongue out is a huge compliment to the absorbancy of the activity!  Ethan is clearly 100% absorbed in what he is doing!

 

 

 

Side note:  This piece of "FABULOUS" was created at a "Let Them Play" training event presented by my co-author, Jeff Johnson and myself.  Notice the addition of smaller pool noodle pieces.  Simply cut the sliced pool noodle into pieces (like a pizza)

 

Give children simple materials, time and freedom so they can turn SIMPLE into something FABULOUS!

Super-Sized Learning

Tired of the same old, same old? Super-size it and make the "same old" a brand new experience loaded with SUPER SIZED learning!

With a little imagination and cleverness, you can super-size almost any learning opportunity you currently provide young children.

WHY would you want to SUPER SIZE learning?

Take a look at the following picture:

What happens naturally when children are presented with something SUPER SIZED?

1) They need to problem solve
2) They need to determine what they need, then ask for it. (whether it be people or tools to help them out)
3) They need to use more muscles.
4) They need to coordinate their bodies.
5) They need to collaborate with others.
6) They need to strategize.
7) They feel empowered!!

That's just a few of the benefits super sizing play (aka: learning) provides! This blog has some of the successful ways I have super-sized play and thus, the learning that goes along with it. Feel free to use these ideas, then put on your own thinking caps and clever pants and see what normal, everyday play opportunities you can supersize for super sized learning in your programs!!

Super Sized Marble Painting
All you need is a large, sturdy box (this is a treadmill box and it's HEAVY), large paper, paint and a variety of balls to supersize the typical marble painting!

Look at the focus, the teamwork, the muscles and coordination!! This picture is at the beginning of the process, where the children are using trial and error to figure out how this is going to work.

Further into the process, they have learned that standing up helps with lifting the very heavy box. They have also named themselves "Parkers Side" and "Ty's Side" in order to coordinate the movement of the balls.



Through the process of trial and error and cause and effect, it was discovered that the box could be tilted this direction too. It was also determined that we needed more paint (FIrst determining, then asking for what you need is a valuable life-long skill).

Super Sized Playdough

Make at least 3 batches of homemade playdough..step back and watch out for super-sized learning!! I have used anywhere from 3-8 batches at a time! Plop the playdough onto the center of the table in ONE LARGE MOUND. Stand back, and let the children take the lead from here!

For extra fun, hide special items inside the playdough! Our favorites? "Monster Playdough" (only, I never told them it was monster playdough..they took what they found and created monsters out of it!!) "Treasure Playdough" (jewels and necklaces) and "Creepy Crawly Playdough" (plastic and rubber bugs!!) and "Snowman playdough" (buttons, small wooden dowel pieces painted orange).

Keep in mind, when plopping a "theme" playdough...do NOT, I repeat do NOT lead the children -- follow them!!! They may not see what you see in the playdough and THAT'S OKAY!!! For example...the snowman playdough actually became "birthday cake" playdough! They used the "carrot noses" for candles!! :)

Strategize
It takes more then just fingers to manipulate a large mound of playdough. Lindsey has found it necessary to use her entire arm in order to create enough pressure to smash the playdough down!



Cleverness
Have you ever seen a child manipulate a small batch of playdough with both of their ARMS?! I don't think so!



Pride
Little Trillian is feeling mighty fine about himself as he cuts through this massive, and challenging mound of playdough! Look at him working those all-important gripping muscles!!

Practicing Social Skills
This super sized mound of playdough has pirate treasure hidden inside. Super-sizing playdough gives the children the opportunity to share, cooperate, imagine, compromise, use more muscles in different ways and is just plain FUN!!

Super Sized Puzzles
Floor tiles found at Sam's Club make an AWESOME super-sized puzzle!  Plop these gems into the environment and let the children make and therefore OWN the discoveries!!

Using Big Muscles is Empowering
The fact that the puzzle piece is BIGGER then Erik is and HE IS STRONG ENOUGH TO HOLD IT!! This is extremely empowering for a young child.

Determination and Persistance
Little fingers have to work harder to manipulate large pieces. Determination and persistance are big players when the going gets tough! It didn't take long before an older child came to the rescue to assist this younger child with properly connecting the puzzle pieces. Older children filling the role as leader and helper is very empowering for them.

Teamwork....enough said.

Super-sized Imaginations!
As if staying on the path, safe from hot lava wasn't difficult enough...then the children added SNAKES to the challenge!

Creative Ideas!
This was the third day of super-sized puzzle play. Can you guess what they have made?! A great, big, huge game of Candyland!! A grand example of children leading their learning. There is number recognition, one-to-one coorelation, large motor skills, children taking on leadership roles, pride in ownership (this was entirely their idea...I had ZERO to do with this...I am just the photographer)

Inventive Minds
Bergen was the first to take the puzzle pieces and build UP with them. Very clever, very outside-the-box, and very impressive! This became a present game, and then a giant jack-in-the-box (ironically, that IS Jack in the box!!)

Super Sized Ramps
Read more about how this super-sized play evolved at my blog, www.playcountsdenitadinger.blogspot.com . You will find it under the category, "ramps".

Think outside the box for some SUPER SIZED ramp fun!

Think Outside the Box
When the children were telling me what they knew about ramps, one said "Hey! My nose is a ramp, Nita!". Another child quickly added to that by holding onto her long hair declaring it was a ramp too! This made me think outside the box for some super fun, super-sized indoor ramp fun!! Read more about this, and see more pics by clicking HERE.

Trial and Error
Setting up a super-sized ramp like the one above involves lots of trial and error, lots of problem solving (see the stack of containers to get the ramps exactlyl the right height and angle?)

Hidden Learning
The children, on their own started recycling the water...quickly catching it at the bottom of the ramp and returning it to the giant tub of water. The balls got tossed in for fun as they watched them travel down the ramp. They learned the balls traveled faster with water poured after them.

Ramp Painting
These PERFECT cardboard ramps were discovered during a dumpster diving expedition to our local appliance store, and yes, that is the treadmill box once again! Add some bowls of paint and ramps and you have a great opportunity for super sized learning! The children loved to adjust the ramps to get the results they wanted.

Compromising
Ella and Ty are debating the angle of the ramp. Ella wanted her ball to make a bouncing trail, while Ty wanted his to run smoothly across the paper.

Organizing Bodies and Minds
Super-sized play requires organization of thoughts and materials. I love how Avery is using her entire body in order to carry more balls. She obviously cares a great deal about staying clean (sarcasm here folks)

Super Sized Goop
If it's fun in smaller quantities...then it's over the top GRAND when you super-size it!! Take goop for example! This simple cornstarch and water mixture is a hit...especially when feet can get involved too! A simple dip in water cleans it right off!

Yes please! Plenty of goop and space for free exploration!

Self Motivation
I love to observe children organizing themselves. I had nothing to do with this line. Look at them patiently waiting their turn! They are motivated by the fun and the fact that they own this adventure....and their feet LOVE it! Notice the purple bucket? That is the default washing bucket. It is present whenever something is messy. This gives sensitive children a safety net knowing that the ick can be erased immediately.



Sharing

FEELS GOOD!
No explanation needed. Clearly, she is LOVING the opportunity to be IN goop! Super sized play provides super sized sensory experiences that awaken the senses and gets brains thinking of endless possibilities!

There you have it...a small list to get the juices flowing. Now,...go put on your thinking caps and creative pants and see what fun play opportunities you can SUPER SIZE for SUPER SIZE LEARNING!!

Water Snakes

You have all heard me refer to plopping in pretty much all of my posts.  I cannot tell you how this method of "following" children has changed my program for the better. 

The children are learning valuable, life-long skills and also amazing me with their cleverness, organizational skills and their willingness to learn through failures (which I believe to be over -the-top important).  In a nut shell...they are so excited to TRY their ideas out, and as they fail, they make changes that either leads to success, or the realization that their plan didn't work, so lets try something else!

A plop, by my own, self-made definition is (insert vision of me putting on instant, IQ-boosting spectacles and clearing my throat): an object, book, story, song or mystery word that is quietly placed (aka: plopped) into a child's environment while sharing no (zip, zero, none, notta) pre-conceived adult ideas in order to give ownership of discovery to children. The "plopper" is prepared for what could POSSIBLY happen...but is willing to drop those ideas in order to follow the usually BETTER possibilities a child's mind imagines!

In other words....set something out...either in the wide open, or hide it amongst the environment and wait for the children to discover it.  However you choose to plop your plop....just plop it...set it out there.  Then, step back ready to observe, gather materials upon request (I insist my crew ASKS FOR WHAT THEY NEED...so, if they need more materials, all they have to do is ask)  If it is a story, share it with the children and let it motivate their play...enhance it with a song or other plops that might go along with it.

On this particular HOT day, as we were heading outside, I was thinking what can we do today.  I move all of my messy, busy hands supplies out to my garage for easy access in the summer months, so I took one look at my shelf and started to grab.

I simply grabbed foam beads and plastic lacing.  I purposely cut the plastic lacing too short to be necklaces and too long to be bracelets.  I did this just so their creative minds would have to take this "regular" activity in an entirely new direction.

I then put it all in a bucket of water (see pic below)

When you use the plopping method, you don't say a word.  You simply plop down the materials and quietly observe.

Instantly the bucket was surrounded by eager fingers.  The children's observations were so accurate as I overheard "HEY....these beads can float!"  "Brrr....the water is cold"  Then the plastic lacing was being compared  "Mine is longer"  "No, look, mine is longer"  So already, look at the learning.

It did not take long for them to realize that these were not going to be necklaces or bracelets.  So then...what should they be?

WATER SNAKES!!!

The children quickly gathered the plastic rain gutters and asked if they could use the hose (I love it when children ask for what they need!) 

Let the water snake rides begin!!

Gavin, who is a dragon fanatic (check out this blog to learn why he is dragon nuts, and why there are always dragons to be found at my house) decided he wanted his dragon to take a ride with his watersnake.  (now, you and I both know this is not going to be possible...BUT the point of plopping is to let children make discoveries....so I said nothing, just photographed and observed.

The photo below shows his first attempt.  He is so excited about his "wonder if..."

Of course the dragon just sat there...and did not move at all.  The water snake did not move either. 

Time to investigate.  Gavin picked up that dragon and took a closer look:

Here is a picture of his second attempt (note that he has ditched the water snake...he is thinking that was in the dragons way, preventing it from flowing down the gutter).  There were several more attempts (hmmm..remind you of a scientist?  Children are natural scientist, never content with trying something just one time.  They MUST try it again and again to see if it will work, or in this case, not work in order to form a conclusion)

After the fifth or sixth attempt, Gavin gathered the information he had just learned and proudly shared it with everyone:  "HEY GUYS!  The dragons dont float!"

Notice the angle Alayna is holding the hose in the photo below?  That is intentional.  She has learned through trial and error, that the water snakes go the fastest if the water hits them just so.  This is her very own discovery, and it gave her much pride to share that new knowledge with everyone.

The photo below shows Jack taking extra care as he places his watersnake into the gutter.  He has learned that if he puts the snake in upside down (the knot last, instead of first) his snake comes apart by the end of the 10ft. gutter.  Again, a discovery he owns and a deduction all of them made. 

Patience and consideration for others are very important, life-long skills.  I have learned that when it is a child-led occurance, patience comes much easier for young children.  I have been amazed at how long they can patiently wait for their turn, when it is their decision.

So there you have it.

A simple plop:  foam beads, plastic lace and water presented quietly with no preconcieved notion, just presented with the freedom to explore them.  I took the backseat to see what kind of adventure would ensue.  The children added to the plop as they saw fit, and the rest is history! 

Those three SIMPLE materials created a morning (and several more) filled with boundless trial and error, scientific process, small motor development, creativity, imagination, cause and effect, patience, cooperation, collaboration, sharing and discoveries!  The best part?  If you ask the children what they did....they will tell you "OH..we just PLAYED!!" 

Play is a child's work.  Let them play....play counts!