I love that my kids are inventive and have great creative ideas. I'm often surprised by just how interesting and expansive their thinking can be.
We were playing a moving game in the classroom a while back. I set up two tape lines to move between. (This group needs some suggested boundaries!)
We used a large inflatable cube with pockets. (Do you have one of these? They are great for all kinds of games. You can get one here. This link is just for information; I get nothing if you buy one.)
Anyway...I digressed there for a minute. We wrote different ways to move back and forth between the lines. The kids tossed the cube and then moved from one line to the other in the way they rolled.
I put "regular" types of movements--giant steps, tiny steps, crab walk, marching, and so forth.
After a while, I said, "Would you like to change what's in the cube?" Of course, they did. I asked them to suggest things to put in the cube. Their suggestions were much more inventive than I ever thought: Walk upside down, walk like a fish, bounce like a ball, slow motion.
Did we use those? You bet. Did they roll those odd things? You bet. Did they move in the suggested ways. They certainly tried.
Sometimes I'm quick to be in charge and direct things. Or I ask for suggestions and then dismiss them as impractical or whatever. But listening to the children can be great for creativity and for fun.
And when a child rolls something like "bounce like a ball," his interpretation may be completely different than yours. But certainly interesting to watch!
