Organically Learning

One of the many reasons I adore these two (and the list is incredibly long) is for how beautifully they just do everything together. This has always included their play. Their play and their learning are so completely intertwined that you cannot tell where one ends and the other begins. It's truly beautiful to behold and it is an honor to witness on a daily basis. 

As soon as we arrived home from Jazzercise yesterday (class for me, hanging out in the childcare room for them) they immediately took off. With them back to playing I got busy tending to some tasks that I needed to finish. It wasn't long before they grabbed the bin of My Little Ponies and headed to the bathroom. Clearly, Pony baths were next on the agenda. Somehow, and I'm not even completely sure how (though really, isn't that how the best learning occurs?) it spiraled into them creating boats and submarines. It was only when they needed something that they couldn't reach in the cabinet that I was called to the scene (and goodness, I'm so glad that I was so that I could be witness to this and part of the fun, too)! 

 Emma was curious if the boat would still float with the addition of the flag. "Will it still float, mama?" My reply (as was the case through this entire adventure): "There's only one way to find out! Try it and see what happens." 

 So she did. 

 And to her delight it did! 

 Grace was determined to make a submarine. She knew that it needed weight but just wasn't sure how much. Her weight of choice (this time): beads. "What do you think, mama? Do you think it's enough? Do you think it will sink?" My reply: "Only one way to find out. Try it and see!"

 Ready to launch. 

 Sadly, it only partially sunk.
"Maybe I need more beads. Or maybe I need something heavier."
Back to the table she went. 

In the name of full disclosure (and rather than make this post crazy long with pictures) she tried a few more times, adding more beads each time, though it continued to only partially sink during each attempt. 

"So, what do we know?"  

"Well, we know that only part of it sinks." 

"And why do you think that is?" 

" 'Cause there wasn't enough stuff in both sides, maybe?" 

"Could be. So what could you do to make it sink?"

"Maybe fill it up more? Or try something heavier?" 

"Like what?" 

::thinking:: "Like maybe rocks, or marbles, or....nuts or clementines!" 

"Well, there's only one way to find out, right?! Let's try it and see." 

 Nuts and clementines were put inside (along with some beads for good measure) and she realized that before she placed it in the water she should make sure that the weight was evenly distributed. She placed it in the sink and......

 this time it sank!

And this my friends is what it's all about. This is why we do what we do. Given the time and the space to discover it's amazing the learning that organically takes place. Sure, I could have planned to do sink and float but them just coming to it naturally in the course of their play is what makes the experience that much sweeter (and dare I say, perhaps even more memorable). As my beloved high school English teacher always says: "Better to be the guide on the side rather than the sage on the stage."  I couldn't agree more. xo