A Place For Wonder

If we were worried about the mess every time kids played, we’d be stopping so many benefits that are happening. They are developing their fine and gross motor skills, naturally reducing stress by increasing dopamine and serotonin levels when they are making contact with dirt, and they are building their immunities. It might take a little bit of extra time in the day to get them cleaned off and changed into dry clothes, but the rewards are immeasurable.

Our exploration of light, shadows and reflections was beautiful. We started noticing our shadows outside and doing funny poses. An invitation was set up indoors with a small wooden mannequin by a window and we would trace the shadows during the day. Flashlights came next with hand shadows and other opaque items. I slowly brought out a variety of textured and colored glass including some small crystals.
The delight and wonder of seeing what would happen with and on the items and how things changed when the light moved. Mirror reflections were a big hit and one of our favorite things to explore was how we could create a unique reflection on the ceiling.
I’m excited to explore these and new possibilities with our littles next school year.