While introducing the idea of creating a bridge making space in the studio, we gathered on the rug to share some of the children’s bridge drawings from the previous week. These bridge drawings, inspired by the chapter entitled “My Father Builds a Bridge” in My Father’s Dragon, showed us their beginning thoughts about bridges.
“That is a real bridge.” -QUINN
What makes this one a real bridge?
“The shape.” -SYLVIE
“There’s a pond.”
“That looks like a real bridge because some bridges look like that. There’s railings and steps. That’s to hold on.” -QUINN
The following day, using straws, popsicle sticks, blocks, and clothespins the children began making their own bridges across a plexiglass river.
“Hey, Hen, let’s make my bridge part of your bridge!” -QUINN
“Yep, we could work together!” -HENRY
“This is a soft landing so if you fall on this bridge you don’t get hurt.” -QUINN
“But sometimes if babies run on the bridge, they fall.” -HENRY
“Yeah and if they fall they’ll float away in the water.” -QUINN
“Except there’s a rock here but there’s a really, really soft blanket on the rock so if babies fall on it they won’t get hurt.” -HENRY
“Let’s set up a place to catch you. People don’t want to just fall.” -QUINN
“Yeah. They can slide down this part, unless they jump really high, then they land over here!” -HENRY
“There are protections. If they fall, these protections are here to protect them.”-QUINN
“I’m putting something here to stable it up.”-QUINN
