15/11/2023
Take Down the Carbon Copy Washing Lines!
Washing lines ? RESHARE
Take down the washing lines of 30 identical cards, crafts and calendars strung across the Early Years classroom.
Let’s refrain from dictating and planning what art work children are going to create. 30 identical Christmas cards and calendars all carefully planned and every child creates and participates 🙈
Let’s stop focusing on the end product and allow children’s creativity to flow freely. 🙌🏼🎉🙏🏼
Vygotsky told us
“It must not be forgotten that the basic law of children's creativity is that its value lies not in its results, not in the product of creation, but in the process itself.
It is not important what children create, but that they do create that they exercise and implement their creative imagination.” 🙌🏼♥️
Not only are we restricting creativity of children with our pre planned ideas and hand print cards and craptivities 😰- but then we go and bombard the environment with all this stuff hung up, pinned up and strung across the room!
Visual NOISE, overstimulates the senses. Which in turn can impact on how a child feels and behaves.
Ever felt completely overwhelmed by crowded places? Too much mess or clutter ?
This is how a child might feel when they are in a classroom that’s bombarded with too much stuff !
So, we’ve taken away their opportunity to be expressive and creative AND THEN we go hang up all the identical crafts across the room - impacting on children’s ability to think clearly and play in a space of calm !
When their senses are under attack from SO MUCH information, no wonder children struggle to think and self regulate.
Fight or flight kicks in ! 😰 Melt downs happen and we wonder why they behave in certain ways 🙈
Time to recognise that it’s US who have to change OUR behaviour - to unlearn and relearn a different way of doing stuff !
To understand WHY?
To reflect on Why we do what we do?
Who is it for ?
Does it meet their needs?
Let’s ensure FREEDOM of expression
FREEDOM of creativity and imagination and FREEDOM of space and awareness of how it FEELs to be in the room ?
* Reflection is KEY 🥰
Take what you want, take what you need. Or ignore the lot. 😆 But it’s essential we reflect on what we do & who we do it for. 🙏🏼🥰
Want to know what to do instead ?
Join us on the 30th November at 7.30pm for a live
The He’Art of Christmas - tickets on sale now ( don’t miss out ) check out below to get yours
