“LOOK!” screams a four-year-old with such joy that we know this isn’t a garden-variety “I want to share something with you” moment.

As the gang rushes to her side, they come to a complete standstill, frozen in awe.

Oh happy day! Some kind souls have shared a fort with the community! There before us stands the most wonderful teepee-shaped fort that we have ever seen. Forts have been popping up all over town this year—and I couldn’t be happier about this trend.

This 14-foot high monument has sparked wonder and curiosity in all of us. We have stumbled upon a STEM adventure! This is math, science and engineering play that allows the learning to come naturally and at each child’s developmental level. This is also sharing. It teaches children that our community creates beautiful spaces to be enjoyed by all.

“Who lives here?” asks Liam as he bravely ventures closer.

“Can we go in?” questions three-year-old Madison, not sure that she really wants to.

We do go in, and the investigation into fort building sets us in motion for the day. Do you remember building forts when you were a kid? Did the memory of that fort just resurface? If it did, you retained that memory and are likely able to build another.

These are the moments that we like to create for our early learners. Hands-on learning enables children to take their understanding to a deeper level so that they can analyze the information that they have collected and then apply this knowledge when they create their own forts.

After giving everyone a turn to observe and discuss the masterpiece in front of us, we take a good hard look at the fort and investigate how it was constructed so that we can build a fort of our own.

We discovered this fort (above) while hiking in our neighborhood.

“I think this fort was started from that fallen branch!” Harper hypothesizes.

This leads to closer observation as we determine that this fort has sides that were built with sticks ranging in size from large to small. By leaning them against the main branch, the architects made the fort longer and wider. We begin to get a better sense of measurement as we visually estimate the length and width of the fort.

We always add a few sticks or branches to any fort that we discover, and today is no different. The older children quickly begin to add branches—an activity that reinforces our perception of the fort as a communal structure. When our younger learners hesitate, we reassure them that they really can’t go wrong by adding a stick or two.

“It looks like a triangle!” shouts Elizabeth. This declaration leads to an animated discussion about shapes and ways to incorporate doors, windows and other shapes into our fort.

We have a geometry class happening before our very eyes! We are looking at two- and three-dimensional shapes and using visualization, spatial reasoning and geometric modeling to solve problems.

These are opportunities that are rich in learning, creativity and team building. We share theories and develop hypotheses about the number of people it might have taken to build the fort, how they got the biggest branches up so high and how they created a base to stabilize the entire structure. We also examine the bottoms of the branches and hypothesize that they were probably broken off during a storm, rather than cut cleanly with a saw.

We know that our forts won’t look like the ones that we’ve encountered. We’ll have to use whatever materials we can find in our own play spaces. But our observations give us a better understanding of the fundamentals of fort and teepee construction. These found structures are the spark of inspiration that we need to design a fort of our own!

It’s time to bring out the assessment chart because this gang is on fire! This playful experience in engineering involves concepts such as angles, inclines, balance and elevation. When we let children learn through play, movement and trial and error, we lay the groundwork for the kind of deep learning that builds new neural connections.

Once the seeds are planted, the children often continue to develop their fort-building skills in our program or in their own backyards.

When the Midwest experienced a rare derecho in August 2020—and every house in our area suddenly had a backyard full of branches—our students immediately began collecting the fallen branches to build forts in their neighborhoods.

They had joined the community-wide fort-building movement!

Notice the similarities? By giving our children long periods of uninterrupted time to play and investigate, we empower them to build their own forts and develop new STEM skills and insights that they will be able to transfer to worksheets when the time is right.

When our students returned to our program this fall, we began napping outdoors on a daily basis. Not surprisingly, when a parent suggested a weekend nap to their child, the child insisted on napping outdoors—in her fort. When children build structures, the joy comes not only from the building but from returning to this place that they have created by themselves, for themselves.

These are the moments when I thank our anonymous community of fort builders for “planting the seeds” of fort building with our young learners. These industrious fort architects may be 12 years old or 90 years old. They may be building these impromptu structures to offer protection from the weather, bring joy to others or simply provide a peaceful place for fellow community members to commune with the natural world.

These lovely forts are gifts of time, hard work and beautiful design that bring science, math and engineering into the lives of our youngest citizens.

Thank you for making so many moments of STEM learning possible through play with the children of our community! You inspire all of us! Thank you! You are truly changing our world!

“Look! The snow packs!  Let’s make a snowman!”

Today’s sunshine and rising temperatures have transformed yesterday’s powdery snow into packable fun—ushering in an afternoon of playful math and science learning.

These are the times when I love to pull out my camera to document the many foundation-building moments that find their way into our play. This documentation allows us to reflect on the learning, conversations and collaborations that take place—and the theories that the children develop—as they explore and investigate their environment.

So grab a mug of hot cider and join us as we unpack all of the early learning opportunities that can be checked off of your list of assessment standards during a snowy afternoon of outdoor play.

“We need three balls!” yells Hudson. “One for his head, one for the middle and one for the bottom!” Hudson has stepped up to serve as the lead architect during this day of snowman construction.

 “We need three sizes,” Jameson pipes in. “Big, bigger and even bigger!”

  “Yes, and the biggest is at the bottom,” adds Noah.

“You start out like this,” Noah explains as she packs together a small pile of snow. ”You push it and roll it and it gets bigger and bigger. Then you have to pack it down. But not too hard. If you pack too hard, it falls apart.”

As I listen in, I seize various opportunities to introduce some STEM vocabulary into our play. We discuss cause and effect, friction and experiments. I don’t expect these words to start flowing off of the children’s lips any time soon, but I never miss an opportunity to plant the seeds of knowledge in their developing brains.

“Mine looks like a square,” Jameson complains to no one in particular.

“If you rub it here just a little and chop this side a little bit, you will make a circle,” advises Avery, who is a wee bit older and more experienced in the intricacies of snowman construction.

I watch as the children form the snow into balls of different shapes and sizes. I hear vocabulary words such as “bigger,” “taller” and “heavier” as the older children compare the different snowball sizes and help me stack them one on top of the other to form snow people.  

“We need two eyes and a carrot nose and buttons for the mouth,” the children shout. “We need a hat to put on top and two branches for his arms! He needs a hat and a scarf!”

For years, the needs of my little “snow sculptors” left me scrambling for the items needed to complete their snow people. After three decades of coming up short, I discovered this snowman decorating kit on Amazon.

What a game changer! This affordable kit provides ample opportunities for STEM (and STEAM) learning. Whenever I pull this kit out, the excitement increases and the design process becomes more focused and deliberate. We have patterns and sequence and spatial reasoning. We have order and math vocabulary and collaboration. These are the moments that lead to teamwork, which is such a gift in any learning endeavor. When children work together on a project, it fosters the development of confidence and camaraderie—and culminates in a sense of accomplishment for all.

I keep my snowman kit in a plastic bin so that I know where all of the pieces are and keep the bin handy during the winter months. Every time I pull the kit out and the children scream with delight, I feel like a rock star! If you want to simplify your teaching and incorporate more STEM learning opportunities into your snow days, do yourself a favor and get a snowman kit.

The winter months offer endless opportunities to introduce children to the science behind the season as you explore and discuss environmental changes, physical properties, weather and temperature. You can pack a lot of STEM curriculum and vocabulary into your day by simply allowing your students to spend some time in the elements.

If the thought of getting all of your young snow explorers dressed and out the door feels daunting, check out our blog post, Incorporating Math into Your Cold-Weather Routines. You’ll learn how to set up separate “stations” where the children can don their own snow pants, coats, boots, hats, scarves and mittens. It’s a great system that teaches children about sequencing while encouraging them to become more independent as they gear up for their winter adventures.

It’s going to be a long winter, so bundle up and get some fresh air.  It’s good for the body, the brain and the spirit.

Stay safe my friends!

If you’ve been fortunate enough to visit The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, or driven by the Arboretum on Interstate 88, you may have spotted Joe the Guardian, a 20-foot-tall, spear-wielding troll peering down at the passing cars from atop his grassy berm. Joe is just one of six towering troll statues created by Danish artist Thomas Dambo. Fashioned from repurposed wood and other natural materials foraged from the Arboretum’s vast acreage, these incredibly detailed trolls have been delighting and inspiring visitors of all ages since they were installed as a temporary exhibition in Spring 2018. 

I like to say that Dambo never lost his childhood love of playing with loose parts. If you’ve followed my blog, you know about my own passion for using loose parts in early childhood classrooms! Some of our students have been fortunate enough to visit the trolls on weekends—and they are always eager to share their tall troll tales with their friends on Monday mornings.

Here’s some rare good news in a year that has had more than its share of bad news: The pandemic that has interrupted life as we know it has also put a pause on the trolls moving on!  If you have a chance to visit the Morton Arboretum before the end of the year, it’s worth a trip. Turn off those screens, get out of the house and breathe in some fresh air. This is STEAM learning in action that will inspire your own loose-parts play!

The Troll Hunt features a collection of trolls constructed from reclaimed wood. But these woody behemoths are 15 to 30 feet tall—a bit more than our gang is capable of constructing. Creating more diminutive trolls is definitely more our speed.

After several weeks of Monday-morning reports of troll sightings at the Arboretum, I took advantage of the trend. First, I printed out photos of the trolls to inspire our early learners to create their own versions of these mythical woodland creatures. Next, we sorted all of our loose parts into baskets and small bowls. Then we created trolls of various shapes and sizes out of small sticks, tree cookies, leaves, buckeyes, corks, shells and fabric—using bits of clay to connect the loose parts.

Architect Simon Nicholson first introduced the concept of loose parts back in the 1970s. Nicholson believed that we are all creative and that loose parts inspire children to engage in experimental, creative play, which is beneficial for child development.

What exactly are loose parts? They are materials that can be moved, carried, combined, redesigned, lined up and taken apart and put back together in multiple ways. They are materials with no specific set of directions that can be used alone or combined with other materials. (Kabel, 2010)

We like to think of loose parts as shells, rocks, sticks, acorns, feathers, pinecones, flowers, flower petals, fabric, water, sand, dirt, moss, leaves, bark, rocks, pebbles, pine needles, seeds and whatever else is native to your region. But we can also use blocks, people, animals and other manipulatives. Loose parts can range from dramatic play props to toy cars, pots, pans or pouring devices.

After studying the photos to determine the materials that were used to create the trolls at the Arboretum, the children noted that the hair on Dambo’s trolls was made from branches and observed the intricate detail on the troll faces and toenails.

Then they began to build their own trolls. At first, the children created two-dimensional trolls. But, as the troll workshop continued and they became more confident and creative in their use of loose parts, they began building in three dimensions.

“I need a leg that is the same size as his arms! See? These legs are too little!”

Jamie was not happy with his troll’s appearance. Digging through the bowl of small twigs, he discovered a longer “leg” and kept digging until he found another that satisfied him. Jamie was busy measuring, sorting and comparing his loose parts, employing nonstandard units of measurement. Sure enough, he was knocking out those early learning standards through play once more! This was a morning spent exploring concepts such as symmetry, geometric shapes and spatial awareness (how things fit in front, behind, next to or underneath something). Recognizing, predicting and building patterns are all important early math and science skills that lay the foundation for later STEM and STEAM learning.

As they engaged in these simple experiences, the children were becoming more proficient at problem-solving, reasoning, predicting and making connections in the world around them. By creating these opportunities for children to see the world through a different lens as they play with loose parts, we open up new avenues of exploration and discovery.

“Sally, you are using shells for your troll’s eyes,” Noa pointed out to her friend. “I used pine cones!”

By observing, asking questions and drawing conclusions, children develop scientific skills. Comparing and describing physical properties while creating their trolls allowed our young learners to think out loud and try out new ideas. When the children weren’t satisfied with how something looked, they would often rearrange the loose parts or start all over again. There was no anger or frustration—just calm exploration.

“Where did you find that grassy stuff for your hair?” Noa asked Sally. But Sally was deep in a state of creative flow. Sally often incorporates fabric into her creations and proceeds more slowly than her peers. But she is very deliberate about her choices. All of this takes time. We don’t need to look at the clock and decide when this activity should end. We can let the children decide. On this fall morning, the troll table sparked a play buzz that lasted for more than two hours as our troll makers followed their curiosity, becoming more confident as they took advantage of new opportunities to engage in art, math and science.

We rarely take walks without bringing home all kinds of loose parts—what the children refer to as “treasures.” If your child keeps small items in containers to create “things” with, your child is playing with loose parts! Take advantage of what you have around you. Those are your tools for setting up a math- and science-rich environment.

If you haven’t experienced the Troll Hunt at the Morton Arboretum, autumn is a great time to visit the Arboretum’s beautiful grounds and maybe find some loose parts along the way. Just be sure to call first to make an appointment, as the Arboretum is enforcing social-distancing measures to ensure visitors’ safety. Don’t forget to check into a membership when you pay for admission. That membership is your ticket to a full year of adventures at more than 300 gardens around the United States. It is a great investment or gift idea. Consider it a year of math and science curriculum as we hit the pause button on life to collect loose parts and scout out those magical, mythical trolls. Happy hunting!

The possibility of a building project began by following children’s interests and things they noticed and pointed out during walks around the neighborhood. This included different types of buildings and specific details of these buildings such as the number of windows, stairs, a triangular roof versus a flat roof, arches, etc. Children were then taking this interest to the classroom by talking about these things and comparing their own houses and buildings that they lived in to the buildings that they saw on their walks. This interest in buildings was also represented in their daily play in things such as their journals, play dough, magnatiles, Legos, their block play, and even pretend play when they were pretending to be construction workers and “building a building from scratch” using large hollow blocks.

After discussing this with my teaching team and exploring the possibilities for math learning in this project, we decided to plan a building project using open-ended materials and breaking it down into ten sequential steps where each step was needed in order for the next step to happen. This project would also start with activities that were simple and straight forward and become a little more complex with each step. We knew that it would be a lot of work, but we were excited and committed to work together to make it happen!

The first step in our project was to go on a neighborhood walk with clipboards, card-stock and pencils. Children were invited to sketch a building of their choice and concentrate on a specific detail such as number of windows, stairs, roof, etc.

They had the opportunity to review their sketch with me and talk about the specific details in their sketch. This was a great opportunity me to work one on one with the child and model and encourage math language in their description of their building. We also discussed other possible concepts in their sketch such as quantity (number of windows and stairs), size (height and width), spatial awareness (positional words indicating location, direction and distance). The idea was not to have a perfect drawing, but for the child to be able to describe what they saw and what they drew.

In the next few blogs, I will talk about the rest of the steps of our building project and how the children were able to incorporate math at a basic level and reach a more complex level within their exploration of buildings.

So far, we’ve seen what it takes to prepare an exploration, a graphing progression, and a discussion about what kind of questions can be centered around an exploration. To wrap up our month, I’m going to extrapolate from a specific example to a general framework for explorations.

A General Framework for Explorations

One of the most fundamental aspects of an exploration is the materials the students use. In the graphing exploration, the materials mainly stayed the same, index cards or paper pie slices and tape. Other explorations, however, can be greatly varied based on the material. For example, say I wanted to lead an exploration about how textures impact painting. If I wished to alter the materials, I would change what they used. Maybe one day we would paint on standard paper, then silk to see a smooth texture, and then painting on tree bark to see how that differed. Conversely, we could paint every day with a different substance mixed into the paint (rice, sand, and then flour) to see how the texture of the substance affected their art. Especially with young children, they are very sensitive to changes in the physical materials they use and benefit from these varied exposures. In my experience, these are the easiest pieces of an exploration to change.

A second aspect of an exploration that can be altered is the constraints placed on the students. Constraints, as generally understood, are restrictions on how students can use their materials. This is an overlooked aspect, as teachers generally only restrict the final product students can create or the general amount of time that can be spent on an activity. This is shortsighted, as there are incredibly nuanced and powerful changes that can result from properly applied constraints. In the graphing exploration, the class had constraints based on who they could vote for, how they voted, and the representation of their votes. To continue with the painting and texture example, students could paint with their eyes closed to see how the slick paint felt when spread over the rough paper. While the distinction between materials and constraints may be nebulous at times, it remains a valuable lens through which to view explorations.

The final aspect of an exploration is the focus of the students, which is directly impacted by you the educator. Through your questioning, you help students realize what they should be paying attention to or thinking about in an experience. To be clear, students can and will surprise you by noticing things you never expected, but it is also important to plan an exploration around key questions and vocabulary. For example, in the graphing exploration, I drew students attention to the relationships between the numbers of votes instead of just who had more. In the painting and texture example, the focus would include questions like “How does this feel different than that” and “How did this texture affect your painting”. Focus work would also include highlighting vocabulary that would be useful, like ‘rough’ or ‘smooth’ in the texture example. This questioning and vocabulary should expand as the exploration progresses, encouraging the students to think more deeply or analytically about the process.

Some Examples of the Framework in Action

In general, I have found it best to alter either the products OR the constraints day to day, not both. This allows the students to more easily reflect on a specific change from the prior activity. This is not a hard and fast rule, just a general guideline.

In order to provide a launching off point for future explorations and help explain the three aspects of an exploration, here are couple of examples of explorations and how their aspects can be modified.

Building

-Materials: unit blocks, legos, paper towel tubes, rocks

-Constraints: goal (height, representation of specific object, volume), time limits (15 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute), blindfolded, only using one hand

-Focus: “Is it easier to have a wider base or a narrower base?”, “Do you think you’ll be able to build as much in 30 seconds as you did in 1 minute?”, balance, symmetry

Color

-Materials: shading paint (a single color with black and white paint to alter shade), colored paper, stained glass (tissue paper on a light table), magnetiles and flashlights

-Constraints: painting in colored lenses or light, painting in dim light (colors appear washed out and gray), colored shadows

-Focus: “How did you make that color, since I didn’t put out any orange?”, “Why doesn’t this look as red as it did on the white paper?”, shade, blend

Hopefully, with this framework and these examples, you’ll be able to take a great idea and expand it into a full-fledged exploration. After all, there’s nothing wrong with doing something fun!

They also created this snowman building activity which was perfect for toddlers.

The boxes were sized so they could be stacked.  They had clues on them to help the children figure out which one was the head, and which was the body.  The addition of the hats to put on top was genius. Not only was this a really well-designed but it was also supported very effectively by the teachers.

One teacher, while helping build a snowperson, “self-talked” throughout.  She said things like, “Oooh, I think I will put the biggest box on the bottom and the one with the nose on the top, so it can be the head.  The middle-sized box can go in the middle, for the snowperson’s middle.”  Self-talk is a useful strategy when working with preverbal children and “just beginning to talk” toddlers.  They have the understandings of the words but may not be able to produce them yet.  This strategy encourages critical thinking by expressing the concept of “planning” and then “execution” with the children.

Many of the toddlers I observed were able to stack the boxes and most could figure out that the box with the face went on top.  The 2 bottom boxes were confusing since the only clue to their order was their size.  However, their sizes were not extreme enough to be really visible and the boxes were slightly different shapes, which can also lead to confusion.

So…

If I were to recreate this activity, I would choose three boxes of differing sizes but of the same shape.  I would make sure that they were distinctly different sizes so the measurable quantity could be seen to a toddler.  I would also add one more visual clue to each box.  I might put feet on the bottom box and buttons only on the middle box.  You could choose your own clues, but be sure to include them so the children have enough information to build successfully.