A Box Can Be Many Things

It's amazing what children can do when they collaborate on a creative project! The children in GSt worked together to make the most imaginative things with the simplest of materials.

It all started with a book.

Immediately the children started to discuss ideas on their own. They recorded some of these on a chart.

Then the fun began!

Francesca and Simran had a clear vision in mind when they began to make a princess boat. Simran said, "We thought of it because we love princesses!" Francesca shared that "we drew bunnies and hearts and there's also clowns and shiny things". 

Added Simran, "It also has some buttons for parties or lights or emergencies".

A box created by a group of boys was very different. They decided to make a birdhouse!

They were very excited to tell about their birdhouse's many features. "This is a food bucket. There's so many of them! The food is inside", said Adahan. Sreeram held up a tube that had been taped together with another and said, "This will make them do exercise". 

Shay pointed out a perch and said, "This is where the birds stand and eat". Oliver added, "There is food everywhere! This is where the birds will get water".

This project was equally interesting. "We made a van!" shared Jabir. Amol pointed to the top, with its many cylinders, and said, "This is the engine. The wheels are down here".

"Do not touch this because it's fire! The fire is trying to melt the ice", Callum warned me.

Saoirse and Saku were busy with the markers and scissors. "I'm making decorations with Saku", explained Saoirse. "We made the dots for the decoration and Callum sticky taped it on", added Saku. 

Maryam and Harish had a different idea- they made a hotel. Maryam said, "I made the windows! Harish, tell Ms Stevens about this train thing." Harish explained, " It's the London Underground train!" 

Harish added, "There are buttons on both sides. We designed it". "This button makes a waterfall", explained Maryam. "This is is for Harish, Maryam and Moone's songs. If you press it, it'll make music".

The last group was a large one, but Skyelar, Sydney, Vittoria, Myla, Catherine, Anna and Moone all contributed in different ways.

Skyelar said, "We made a house. We thought it was very short so we cut it and made it bigger". Catherine added, "Skyelar told me to cut it and put tape on in". Skyelar clarified, "We were doing teamwork!"

Sydney started, "We were sticking all of this cardboard..."
"...so we could make the door bigger and go in", continued Vittoria. "Sydney was saying, "Tape please! Tape! so we could stick it all together. Sydney pretended she was writing in another language".

Sydney said, "It's our special language".

Skyelar finished up, "The decorations make our house special so it's not all brown and plain. Catherine, Myla, Moone and Anna all did the pictures".

Last but not least is the creation made by Aditya and Nate. "This is a house", Aditya explained. Nate clarified, "It can be a house or an airplane or a car. We haven't finished." 

"And we need to colour it!", added Aditya. "Red and blue", continued Nate.

When I asked the boys how they cut out the holes, Aditya explained, "I taught Nate how to do it. Then we did it together."

It has been great to see all of the children working so well together. They decided who to work with and what to create. Throughout it all they talked, and in their conversations they taught one another, listened, took turns, discovered and enjoyed each other's company. 

A box can clearly be many, many things!

Note: As we will be doing a lot of construction throughout the the year, it would be helpful if you could send in materials from home.  Empty cardboard boxes, toilet paper and paper towel tubes and clean, round lids from bottle and jars would be put to good use. Thank you!