Our work in Studio Yellow continually focuses around fostering the social development of our children. During these first weeks of school we have observed children engaged in parallel play or seeking the company of an adult or familiar peer. We sense a desire to connect with others, but bridging that gap to completely cooperative play can be challenging. With this in mind, we are constantly searching for ways to facilitate this cooperation and collaboration amongst the children. Initially we formed small groups within which the children had the opportunity to share their prized treasures from their nature bags. Displaying the children’s favorites has piqued the interest of the larger group. There is a great curiosity to see what everyone else has brought in. We felt this was the perfect opportunity to bring our small group work back to the larger group, with the hope that this would help in our quest to create a cohesive community.

Thus began our next step in creating one collaborative loom containing those items that are particularly special to each individual. Children were asked to draw their item before weaving it into a desired place on the loom. These drawings are displayed in the studio alongside the loom, providing a place for us to re-visit, reflect and perhaps discover that something special to another peer. We will continue to add to this piece as we explore and discover together.