Comes up with ideas to approach things/problems, implements them and reviews and even does course correction if needed!!
- Finding their own way to do things: Children will develop their own play and find their’ own ways into doing things.
- Connecting Links: Attempts to connect, by linking their knowledge to make predictions and test their ideas.
- Have a thought process of their own: They figure out their ways to solve real life problems and revamping strategies if needed.
What Parents can do:
– Use wherever possible: how/let’s try/idea/plan/fin out/figure out/look out
E.g.: “Let’s together figure out how to assemble this new play tent of yours!”
– Pretend to be not knowing and thinking hard, show curiosity and then eureka! thinking hard gives you the answer
E.g.: “Where is the little mouse hiding in the picture (look and find book)? Can you help me find it?”
– What Else/What more/Can we are some food for thoughts to set young minds racing for ideas!
E.g.: “Oh, the clock is round. What other objects do you see around which is round?”
– Always acknowledge their efforts/enthusiasm and ideas and respect in-order to keep their enthusiasm going unhindered.
E.g.: Arya: I have an idea! Let’s make the tail with the playdough mama!”
Mama: That’s a wonderful thought! Let’s do it and see how it turns out!”
– Work together, explore possibilities, carry out trial and error, and discuss outcomes. Carry out all this while following their lead.
E.g.: Let’s find the key to this lock! Which one should we begin with? Okay this one with 3 ridges… nope, this isn’t going in, maybe it’s too broad for this lock… Ok let’s insert this one with a longer blade, click! There it goes. Go ahead twist it once more…
– While modeling examples explain your approach, strategies, reasoning, through process to get their minds rolling in those directions.
E.g.: While teaching your preschooler to build a basic version of airplane, you could keep describing your actions as follows:
“Let’s begin by folding the paper in half vertically, like this.
Next unfold the paper and fold each of the top corners into the center line.
Fold the top edges into the center line.
Fold the plane in half toward yourself.
Fold the wings down, and now let’s match the top edges up with the bottom edge of the body.
Add double stick tape here, to the inside of the body.
And here goes a plane, let’s zip it away….”
Enabling spaces where they can think, relate, create, and explore whole-heartedly and unabashedly.
