It was just another inspiring day at SM, our preschoolers went upstairs to the play area for their 'whole school connect' which happens every Friday when the whole school comes together and gets involved in fun activities to learn, bond, solve problems, compete or collaborate and get inspired!
Post the connect, children were given time for free play. The play area incorporates an innovative tyre maze, a sand pit and a doll house apart from green grass and pure open space to run & have fun. I was walking around observing them play, when my attention was caught by a 5 year old Ab, engrossed in some serious work. He was surrounded by a bunch of his friends who looked equally engrossed above the doll house (which they call 'The Helipad').
I was curious, and I slowly approached them. I could see that Ab was focused on tying strings to his water bottle. T, Av, and Sh had already lent their water bottles for the experiment which were hanging down from the railing as they eagerly waited for the results. I couldn't resist engaging in a conversation.
Post the connect, children were given time for free play. The play area incorporates an innovative tyre maze, a sand pit and a doll house apart from green grass and pure open space to run & have fun. I was walking around observing them play, when my attention was caught by a 5 year old Ab, engrossed in some serious work. He was surrounded by a bunch of his friends who looked equally engrossed above the doll house (which they call 'The Helipad').
I was curious, and I slowly approached them. I could see that Ab was focused on tying strings to his water bottle. T, Av, and Sh had already lent their water bottles for the experiment which were hanging down from the railing as they eagerly waited for the results. I couldn't resist engaging in a conversation.
Me: What are you making Ab?
Ab: We are making a lifter that can lift anything!
Me: That sounds so cool! How does it work?
Ab (Examining his knots): It needs two people, one person should stand at the bottom and one person should stand on the top. The person at the bottom will put things and the person at the top will pull.
I was hooked, I wanted to see it work. I stood there observing them quietly, After a while, when he was sure that the knot was secure enough, he slowly released the bottle down to test his machine. But the string unraveled and the bottle fell. Ab asked his friends to hold on and rushed down to fix the knot.
Ab: We are making a lifter that can lift anything!
Me: That sounds so cool! How does it work?
Ab (Examining his knots): It needs two people, one person should stand at the bottom and one person should stand on the top. The person at the bottom will put things and the person at the top will pull.
I was hooked, I wanted to see it work. I stood there observing them quietly, After a while, when he was sure that the knot was secure enough, he slowly released the bottle down to test his machine. But the string unraveled and the bottle fell. Ab asked his friends to hold on and rushed down to fix the knot.
He kept trying different combinations until he got it right and rushed back up to test it again.
And hurray!! It worked this time. Ab's face beamed with a sense of accomplishment. He was proud of his invention.
He called out to his friends and let them take turns and try out his machine.
And hurray!! It worked this time. Ab's face beamed with a sense of accomplishment. He was proud of his invention.
He called out to his friends and let them take turns and try out his machine.
We believe children are capable and curious learners with lots of questions and even more amazing ideas, which helps them come up with creative solutions and inventions. When children are given the respect, time and space to play with their ideas and the necessary support to make their ideas come true they surpass our wildest imaginations when it comes to what they can accomplish.
Our children at SM are growing up to believing that they are creative thinkers and capable of putting their thinking to action. Like the famous saying by C. S. Lewis goes "We are what we believe we are!" Developing an empowering belief system is crucial for a happy and fulfilling life and it is during these formative years that most of our beliefs take shape.
We, as adults and facilitators, who work with children have an important role to play in shaping these empowering beliefs. Appreciating children's productive ideas, listening to them with utmost respect and curiosity and most importantly, letting them try and fail and try again (while resisting the temptation to rush out and help!) develops a strong belief in themselves as tinkerers and problem solvers. It encourages them to think of more ideas which eventually leads to innovation in society and we need our little change makers and their ideas today more than ever!
#lifterproject
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#sparklingmindzglobalschool
Contributed by Yashika CG, Asst. Learning Facilitator at Sparkling Mindz.
Our children at SM are growing up to believing that they are creative thinkers and capable of putting their thinking to action. Like the famous saying by C. S. Lewis goes "We are what we believe we are!" Developing an empowering belief system is crucial for a happy and fulfilling life and it is during these formative years that most of our beliefs take shape.
We, as adults and facilitators, who work with children have an important role to play in shaping these empowering beliefs. Appreciating children's productive ideas, listening to them with utmost respect and curiosity and most importantly, letting them try and fail and try again (while resisting the temptation to rush out and help!) develops a strong belief in themselves as tinkerers and problem solvers. It encourages them to think of more ideas which eventually leads to innovation in society and we need our little change makers and their ideas today more than ever!
#lifterproject
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#sparklingmindzglobalschool
Contributed by Yashika CG, Asst. Learning Facilitator at Sparkling Mindz.
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