Problem Solving…

Last week, we formally visited the idea of problem solving.  Encountering chipmunks reluctant to leave the treasured “stick house” near Owl Tree, we wondered aloud with the children how might we help what might be a new family of chipmunks taking root in this space.  As we noted with the children, we are problem solvers!

 

 

 

Presenting this idea  during meeting, we encouraged the children to draw their solutions.  Eagerly many children visited this space.

"One for the chipmunks and one for us. That's toys for the chipmunks and those are clouds." -Charlotte draws 2 stick houses
"I was thinking about glue. We can just squeeze it and glue comes out. It can stick things together, like a fence!" -Ian
"I made a gate to put around it. How about we put a check on it to say we like it?" - Charlie N.
"I'm building a fence. There's grass under and that's the house." -Luca
"A barn! They can just crawl in!" -Caroline
"Look at my plan! Oh wait, I need to put a check (inspired by Charlie's comment). I was thinking we could make a tiny river for the babies to ride on to their momma." -Ruthie
"This is a home and that's where they need to go to get water and food." -Miles
"Maybe you could make a little house. I'm gonna make a pathway to their acorns. A little path from their home and if they have to go to the bathroom, they go there and that's where they sleep." -Rosalie
"I was thinking about a big house. They can sit inside." -Addie

With our seeking to understand how empathy evolves in very young children, we wondered about using problem solving situations to foster some aspects of empathy such as perspective taking.  Starting with creatures, something children are readily drawn to, how will our weekly problem solving prompts evolve as we introduce to the children, people in more closer to home, social struggles that we witness in their play together?