Safety and Boredom

Have playgrounds become too safe for kids?

An article that came out this morning features an interview with Alex Gilliam from Public Workshop and talks about the lack of opportunities for risk-taking that children have.

Amazing how a big chunk of the hard earned funds that a school or a town obtains for play space can end up buying boring and expensive plastic.  It doesn't take much to engage children with outdoor play, and simplicity and open-ended materials are key, I think.

I'm not the only one who thinks this way.   Teacher Tom has created an outdoor space that encourages risk-taking and experimentation; The Children and Nature Network is dedicated to getting children outside into natural spaces; and I'm sure there are countless others.

How can we convince others that we need to offer something beyond slides and swings?  The more trouble you can potentially get into, the more you learn, I imagine.

As this semester winds down to a close, I am looking forward to getting back to writing more.  I have been so sporadic about writing this semester that I hope I am able to get back into the swing of it!  Here are some topics that have been on my mind that I plan to visit in the near future:

language and literacy: books, talking, music, writing, reading aloud...

the different ways that storytelling looks

using natural and recycled materials in meaningful and purposeful ways

how do schools find the money that they need?

how do you balance the commercialism and materialism with the curriculum?

(I have a journal article on this that I have been itching to read!)

How do schools find their identity, and balance that with inspiration from other schools and curricula?

where do community building activities come into play in the preschool classroom?

Also, if you are in Northwest Oregon, I'd love to hear from you!  I am hoping to visit classrooms and meet some more teachers (and early childhood education enthusiasts, no matter what your "job") and see some programs in the area.

Giveaway Winner

The winner of the Abiyoyo book giveaway is Danielle!  Congratulations - I'll be in touch to find out where you'd like me to send your book. 

Thanks for everyone who entered!  There were some great book suggestions that are new to me that I will check out, and there were some real classics mentioned, too.

Cheers!

A Thank You for Reading Giveaway!

It seems that more and more people are reading the blog, and that is pretty exciting!  I'm glad that you're looking around and sharing your thoughts and ideas.  Although I have not been the most regular poster, I imagine that once we settle into our new home, I'll be writing more again.

To thank you all for reading (and for passing on the word about this site), I went to one of my favorite bookstores, Elliot Bay Book Company, in a place I used to call home - Seattle.  I looked around for a long time, debating what would be best.  There are way too many books that I would call "essential" for an early childhood classroom.  I thought about something about teaching, but I don't think we get the best inspiration from books for teachers.  We get them from children.  And so, the giveaway is a FANTASTIC book that always gets children talking, playing, and interacting.

I'm giving away a copy of the Abiyoyo Book and CD by Pete Seeger.  He is a wonderful storyteller and musician, and this story has the imagination and magic that so many children connect to.  I have seen some fantastic retellings of the story as children browse the book themselves.  It would be a great addition to your classroom or home bookshelf.

To win, just leave a comment here about reading with children.  What do you love to read with children? Why?  Perhaps we can get some ideas to talk about in the coming weeks in this space.

The contest ends next Sunday, July 24th, at 8pm PST.  I'll announce the winner on Monday, July 25th, and ship the book from Oregon to wherever the winner is.

Good Luck!

Bakers and Astronauts on Facebook

Its great to see that there are some new followers on the Bakers and Astronauts Facebook page!  We've reached 102 followers, and I'll be posting something special to celebrate soon.

Right now we are in limbo a bit, traveling around the west coast, having just moved back from Belgium last Sunday.  I'm looking forward to the opportunity to be in more classrooms here, seeing more interesting things and meeting more teachers!

If you haven't joined the Bakers and Astronauts Facebook page, you can do it right here.  We can discuss and share in a way that is easier than the blog.

Happy Summer!