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The Possibilities of Boxes

And our box adventures continue...

I have been meaning to bring boxes outside to the sandbox for a very, very long time but just never got around to actually doing it. So, when we brought the boxes back into class this week, I suddenly realized that this is a perfect opportunity to bring them outside. The children worked on them more in class-they coloured and used long strips of masking tape. Very long strips of masking tape! They loved unrolling the tape and often worked together with one person holding the roll and the other unwinding the strip.The box play was involved; cooperative and generally peaceful (with a few exceptions stemming from artistic differences or ownership).

A grey but dry day, we headed out, boxes in arms, to the sandbox. I wasn't really sure how they would use them. I thought they might turn them into castles or some type of building. In fact, they did not use them for this purpose but rather used them more as tools-diggers, shovels, rakes. They worked alone and in teams, discussing ideas, creating stories, and working towards a common goal. I found it so interesting to watch them develop a mini society. Naturally, some people became the leaders who told the others what to do. They worked in unison and with appreciation of each others role. Humans are so earmarked for order, even at a young age. Fascinating!




Throwing the boxes in the air to catch the wind became a popular activity.






I loved their ingenuity here. In the bottom of the 'bowl,' there is one small hole. They  scooped sand into the bowl and used their feet to sift the sand through. The box was used " to catch the sand."








They carried a box to the grass and filled it with grass and leaves- "a delicious soup!"

They pushed and pulled the boxes which were rather heavy from the weight of the sand.


Needless to say I am quite sure they must have slept well that night. There was a lot of large muscle work going on! Scooping, pouring, shovelling, sifting, pushing, pulling, tugging, turning, throwing- all very important movements for physical development.

The boxes became quite beat up so we decided to say goodbye to them and put them in the recycling box. I was curious to see if this would be difficult for anyone, given the time and energy they put into decorating them. Another surprise… no one made an issue out of letting the boxes go. I liked that they could use something and build a relationship with it and then be able to let it go. The experience will be with them for a while and that is enough. I want to remember this important message.

Emily

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