Vintage Treasures in the Classroom

"The objects surrounding the child should look solid and attractive to him, and the house of the child should be lovely and pleasant in its particulars; for beauty in the school invites activity and work."

Maria Montessori

One of my favourite ways to spend a relaxing Sunday is to visit a local antique store in my town. They refresh their wares on a regular basis and it's inspiring to wander the store and see the new arrivals. I love to find unique objects and imagine how they might be used by children during free play. Sometimes objects are a vintage model of what we already have - I'd much rather offer a solid metal scale for measuring than a flimsy plastic one. Other times unfamiliar objects become invitations for exploration and play as children have not had previous experience with the new resource. Providing something interesting and unique in the learning centers for them to discover has led to some amazing questions and explorations. Children attempt to discover what a new object might be and for what other purposes they can use it.
     

Visitors to our space are surprised to see the delicate materials being used by children. I'm often asked how fragile objects are not damaged, and if children take care of the resources properly. I believe that because children consider themselves equal members in a democratic space they value their beautiful learning environment and strive to care for all materials. Do things sometimes get broken? Absolutely! But this is a rare occurrence and when it does happen it provides an excellent moment for reflection and learning so that children take care to ensure materials are safely cared for.

 

Visitors to our space also ask how I am able to acquire such interesting materials without spending a lot of personal money to do so. As a scavenger I am always on the look out for vintage items; I love to spend rainy Sundays in second hand shops looking for things that can be easily fixed up and used in the classroom. Families are also quick to donate items from their homes and yards, especially after an open house when they see just how children incorporate materials into their play. Sometimes colleagues, my own extended family and other community members will offer things they no longer need. Sending letters home to families and posting for specific items I am hoping for on social media has also resulted in some amazing items being added to our space. Because I have taught for 20+ years I have acquired quite the interesting collection! It takes time and patience to build a complex space.

Offering antiques and vintage items in the classroom not only beautifies the space, it offers many other learning opportunities for children:

• children learn about how materials and lifestyles have evolved throughout the years (e.g., learning how rotary phones evolved to dial and eventually to wireless smart devices)
• children appreciate how materials can be recycled, reused and even upcycled in place of always purchasing something new
• the classroom begins to take on an interesting eclectic flavour that can represent the spirit and history of the local community
• statement pieces can spark in depth inquiries or creative explorations (e.g., researching the purpose of an unknown object, writing about the history of an object)
• children can also explore cultural and historical significance of pieces and use them to learn more about the past
• children can emotionally connect with the aesthetics of a piece and hold wonder and curiosity for their environment
• sharing the theories children have for vintage items beyond the walls of the classroom (e.g., social media, newsletters, documentation) helps showcase young children as capable and creative and might inspire further donations
  

     

Over the years I have replaced plastic, commercial toys in our classroom with found and recycled objects. It's taken years to curate a classroom filled with wonder and excitement and I'm eager to continue this journey with the children in the upcoming school year. What unique objects are valued in your classroom? Share your ideas in the comments below or share on social media tagging @McLennan1977!

Honouring Children as Artists

"Make the studio space beautiful, a place that nourishes the spirit and senses. If you have the resources, store paint in clear jars to bring vibrant color into the room. Bring lush green plants into the space. Pour glitter into glass jars and set them on the window ledge to sparkle in the sun. Arrange shells, rocks, or branches on shelves, or hang them on the wall. Tuck unexpected treasures into the studio; a vase of feathers, a basket of sea glass, or an abandoned bird's nest. Store paintbrushes in pottery jars. Create a space that stirs the imagination and awakens the senses."

Ann Pelo, The Language of Art, p. 8

Our children love art. The art studio is one of the most popular centres visited during free play and often the first children look to upon their entry to the classroom. They are curious to see what new invitation has been displayed and eager to explore the new tools and materials that have been added to the art shelves. 

This week we purchased some mini terracotta saucers for use with our watercolour paint pucks. The earthy colour and cool texture made it a perfect fit with the centre's neutral palette. We believe that art materials should be aesthetically displayed and accessible to children. When the beauty of the materials - the texture, size, shape and colour - are celebrated (instead of being hidden in a storage cupboard) and included as part of the classroom decor, children are inspired to use them in innovative ways to support their explorations and communicate their ideas and learning to others. The art centre is a place where children feel inspired and welcomed! We honour children and their ideas through the use of meaningful, beautiful, accessible materials that celebrate them as learners with endless potential!

Our watercolour paint pucks challenged us for a while, which is why we were so excited to find the terracotta saucer solution! In the past we had tried using the traditional tray, but we didn't like how we were limited to the colours that were stuck in the tray. The children will often ask for specific colour combinations depending on what they are creating. In the previous photo you can see that the colours of paint displayed match the flowers in the vase. The tray did not offer this as a possibility with its fixed number of spots. The plastic also retained the colours of the paint and the stains and messy nature of the tray were uninspiring. We weren't satisfied with this solution.

We've also tried displaying the pucks on a mirror, but that was also cumbersome. The paint would become stuck which made swapping out the colours for certain combinations depending on the provocation or experience very difficult. The glass mirror was also not easy to use when transporting materials outdoors. Plus the mirror just looks messy. We believe that honouring children and their work means providing accessible and aesthetic tools and materials that value them as equal members in our learning community and sends the clear message that they and their ideas are essential for our collective understanding and growth. 

We used individual terracotta saucers. By separating each paint into its own container, the colours could be easily integrated into the display of materials available to the children on the art shelves. This means that we are displaying more shades and varieties of materials in our colour spectrum, and children are now able to access any paint colour they might need for a project. They do not need to ask an adult for assistance because the materials are freely available whenever they might be needed.

Engaging children in rich, meaningful, integrated artistic activities outdoors is an important part of our program. Now that the paint pucks are easy to transport, the children are able to self-select the ones they need for a project and independently use these outside.

An added bonus? They look just as lovely when resting on a bed of grass too!

We also examined how we displayed our various shades of pastels in the centre. Normally they are sorted by colour using a white ice cube tray. Like the watercolour tray, there are many easy to see stains and the materials aren't very inspiring or enticing.

We reorganized the materials using the terracotta saucers and the pastels look just lovely sorted and displayed similarly to the paints!

Sorting our Beautiful Stuff

Families, thank you so much for your very generous donations of 'beautiful' found and recycled stuff from your house! We spent time today sorting the materials by colour and texture which was a great way to embed math into the experience. Children also had to consider that a colour might have many different shades! We have replenished our art areas with your generosity and will continue to accept donations. Thank you for your support of our children and program!

Places of Wonder and Discovery

We continue to look for opportunities to create areas of beauty, wonder and discovery in our classroom in order to inspire children and provoke learning opportunities. Here are some highlights of our room today...

 

Clipboards displayed in a shelf with children's drawing and writing to celebrate their growth...

 

 

Textured fabric quilted together to cover bulletin boards and present interesting patterns...

Child sculptures displayed on the snack table to inspire conversation...

A planting area with literacy connections in a sunny spot...

Documentation integrated with interesting materials and tools at the children's level...

Containers of interesting objects placed in various spots in the classroom...

Literacy materials displayed for function and beauty...

Woven creations hung above tables to inspire beauty above...

Natural materials and textures in the drama centre to inspire creative play...

Transparent documentation integrated into displays to captivate...

Black and white photos capture attention when placed on a quilted background...

Beautiful materials displayed in the art area beckoning to be used...

Whimsical materials capture attention and draw children to the mailbox and hopefully writing letters to their friends...

Displays on shelves offer interesting colours and patterns...

Our collection of natural materials inspires conversation and research...

Literature is integrated with artifacts to provoke exploration and reading...

Beautiful materials celebrate children as capable, invested learners...

Collections in the reading area invite children to visit and spend time exploring...

 

A quiet corner becomes an escape...

The individuality of children is reflected in the display of their learning portfolios and the spirit of our natural school is reflected in the display...

Beautiful Stuff

Thank you to our families who have sent in found and recycled materials for our 'beautiful stuff' project! We look forward to seeing the interesting things that are brought in and are looking forward to the rich math, science and art activities we plan to do with the children!

Creating a Place of Wonder

Spring often brings with it reflection and renewal and we felt it was time for us to renovate our reading area. Although it was tucked away in a cozy nook and we replenished the books often, the children weren't drawn to using it. We wanted to spark their interest in the centre so that they would be inspired to visit this area again for the remaining months of the school year. 

During a whole group discussion we asked the children what they liked about the centre. They shared that they enjoyed sitting on the chairs and chatting with friends, reading books from around the room on the chairs, and they loved the 'magical' light that we used each day to create a bit of ambience. They however hoped for new books to read and interesting things to look at.

One of the most inspiring books I have read regarding beautiful designs in early childhood environments is "Designs for Living and Learning" by Deb Curtis and Margie Carter. The book is filled with large, colourful illustrations of learning spaces and the potential of many innovative and loose parts to inspire play and creativity. When considering how to take the children's suggestions from our discussion and use them to help design our new reading area, I reviewed this book for guidance and inspiration.

 

Some of my favourite thoughts from the book include:

"The environment is the most visible aspect of the work done in the schools by all the protagonists. It conveys the message that this is a place where adults have thought about the quality and the instructive power of space. The layout of the physical space is welcoming and fosters encounters, communication, and relationships. The arrangement of structures, objects, an activities encourages choices, problem solving, and discovering in the process of learning. There is attention to detail everywhere - in the colour of the walls, the shape of the furniture, the arrangement of simple objects on shelves and tables." (p. 13)

"Filling your environment with aspects of the natural world can further soothe the senses and sensibilities of those present. When you contrast something as simple as a shelf or plastic baskets with a shelf containing natural fiber baskets, the different sensory experience is immediately apparent. There are many ways to incorporate plants, water, natural light, and fresh air into your building." (p. 16)

"Children also love finding treasures - shells, feathers, rocks, coins, keys, flashlights, baubles, and beads. Rotate a supply of these and other intriguing objects in attractive baskets and boxes or as curiosities on a table or low shelf-top mirrors. Create nooks where you can place rocks that glitter or shine, a set of costume jewelry gemstones, or holograms. Putting books, cards, or photos nearby that relate to these objects can further stimulate children's inquiry. Because childhood is a time when the world seems full of magic and wonder, you can keep those brain pathways growing and expanding by placing intriguing discoveries in your environment." (p. 17) 

"Literacy involves unlocking a system of symbols and codes, and there are many ways you can expand children's experiences with this process. The wider world of symbolic representation extends into the visual arts, and adding a range of materials to explore these will encourage children to understand and express themselves using art materials, music, dance, and theatrical expressions. Early childhood environments can be stocked with materials and opportunities for what Howard Gardner calls 'multiple intelligences' or the educators of Reggio refer to as the 'hundred languages'." (p. 18)

Today we worked together with the children to create a magical place for literacy and exploration in our cozy reading nook. This is the finished centre as of this afternoon. I still envision adding more materials (perhaps writing and drawing bins to encourage more of the artistic language that is discussed on p. 17 in the book).

We created an aesthetic display of many of our favourite read alouds, sorting and then organizing them by colour. Our children have been fascinated by colours (mixing them, creating different shades, using them as interesting representations for objects, etc.) so I really wanted to reflect this back in the way we presented the reading materials. I also liked that this incorporated math into the centre as the sorting rule for the books was organization by colour. The new, low shelf is made by placing a long wall shelf from IKEA on two wooden big blocks from our building centre. It's a portable shelf that is now low and at the child's height, especially when they are sitting on the carpet.

We found some of the children's favourite objects in the room (whimsical cats, wooden beads, shells) and placed them in an interesting display. We used the frame to highlight the dried hydrangeas and placed a mirror behind the objects to reflect light and provide an interesting view. The children can also look at themselves in the reflection.

We were inspired by the passage referring to childhood 'treasures' like shells, sticks, and feathers so we created a textured display by using fishing net and large birch branches to help highlight and showcase the materials. We are going to add another large mirror behind this display.

Our children love to draw and we have been focused this year on growth mindset and the unique differences that make us a special, powerful group of learners. We showcased the children's recent pastel self-portraits, using a black frame to help the art stand out on the chicken wire display board.

The children were immediately drawn to the new materials after they helped us organize the centre. We are always amazed at how carefully they handle the delicate objects; they are diligent in returning them to the spot where they were found and are very kind and considerate in sharing the materials with others.

New books were discovered and old favourites found again. Many children spent time at this centre this afternoon, accomplishing what we had set out to do! We sparked a new interest in visiting the reading area, which had now become a place for magic and wonder. This is exactly what the children had hoped we would do in our planning discussion earlier in the week!

After all that work I even had time to enjoy a few books with my special helpers! We hope you are inspired to revisit some of your centres and consider how you might be able to add a little wonder and magic for your learners! Next we are going to refresh our dramatic arts centre. Stay tuned!