A big, cut branch opened the door to endless possibilities for play!
They hauled it across the yard.
They settled on this space in the middle of suspended tarps, which we had prepared before they arrived as an open-ended setting for play. They asked each other, "What is it? What can we do with it?" Hmmm...
A balance beam!
Flowers for decorating!
A campground! This was the winning idea. They spent hours playing camping. This was a SURVIVAL camp, one said. The tire was used as a campfire.
They roasted marshmallows.
Some prepared the food. They went searching and found EDIBLE plants. They collected water for survival.
Some found weapons and went to kill bears, lions, and rattlesnakes.
We had a discussion about what to do with the bear after they killed it. They said they would eat the meat, use the fur for blankets and carpet, use the teeth for silverware and to defend themselves. One of the younger ones had the idea to use the teeth to make underwear!? We talked about feeling sad about the bear dying. One said a prayer of gratitude for the bear. We talked about the alternative of eating edible plants instead of killing the bear.
The play of camping became a space where they were a family taking care of each other and having fun. They worked through family conflicts, talked about the impact of killing an animal, counted and divided tomatoes amongst the group, and much more. It leaves me feeling more certain than ever- there is no need for language and math drills or a prescribed, thematic curriculum at this age! Play provides a space for all of that and more!
