Recyclables and creativity - Inquiry on recycling

We have been enjoying a great summer. Attending local library events has become our weekly routine. During one such event there was an announcement for bike decorating contest/parade. "Mom I want to decorate my bike and go for the parade." , declared Nidhi. However Sid was reluctant.
We gathered more information about the event. The main rule to the contest and parade was that the participants must decorate their bikes with recyclables and recycled materials.

I was skeptical about Nidhi sticking to such rules for decorating her bike. I explained to her. "You cannot use any materials to decorate. You should use only recyclables. Are you sure you still want to do it?". The answer was as predicted , "Yes Mom, I want to do it. But what are recyclables?".

What a perfect opportunity to explore about recycling! I could sense that her excitement was more about decorating her bike rather than studying about recycling.

We started by learning what are recyclables. We opened our recycling bin at home and checked what materials have been accumulated. There were lots of plastic water bottles, cardboard boxes, cereal boxes etc. I asked them to find out if there were more materials that we could use in the house that are recyclables.
"How do we know if a thing is recyclable? " asked Nidhi.
We watched a few you tube videos to understand what is recycling and recyclable materials. Then they both went on scavenger hunt around the house hunting materials with recycling symbols on them.

Now with the materials gathered, the focus shifted to planning the decor. Sid had a big vision of building a big cardboard box bull dozer. He tried painting a couple of paper plates for wheels, arranged a few cardboard boxes but eventually gave up on his plan as he found it difficult to implement his vision with the materials he had at hand.

Nidhi was persistent. "I want to decorate my bike with flowers and butterflies!" , she announced. She quickly drew up her vision on paper. How impressive!

Nidhi's Flower Design plan for bike decor

She brought the water bottles and thought up of using the bases as flowers. She cut up the petals and attached them to the bases.

Water bottle base flower making in progress

They both enjoyed painting the empty bottles and cutting them up into spirals that would be used as streamers.

Painting empty water bottles to make streamers

Nidhi found a cardboard tube which she decorated with felt shapes.

Cardboard tube decor with felt shapes

For making butterflies, we got inspiration from coffee filter butterfly craft.

Sid brainstormed a lot of ideas and settled upon robots. I set up a provocation with loose parts to inspire his design. Here is a photo journal of their tin can robots.

Sid's Tin Robot Monster

Nidhi's Tin can Robot made with loose parts

Finally, the bikes decorated completely with only recyclables.

Nidhi's Green Garden Bike

Sid's robot bike is made of a cereal box covered with aluminum foil, paper plates and water bottle parts.

Sid's Green Robot Bike

Here are the kids at the parade.

Sid and Nidhi at the parade

This project has resulted in lot of learning. The most important point of this whole project is that it was a totally child led, self directed learning.
1. The twins learnt about recycling and recyclables. They continue to identify recyclables, recycling bins and sort their things to be thrown out into recycling bin and trash bin correctly. What better way to start caring for the environment!
2. They learned persistence. This project presented them with lot of problem solving challenges.
3. They learned to sustain a task for long period. Their typical focus period doesn't last more than a day normally. But tasks of this project was carried out with vigor for over a week.
4. Nidhi has started to present her designs through her drawing representations. Notice how closely her bottle flower resembles her paper design.
5. They learnt about contests, parades and that contests are not only for winning but also for enjoying the process.

"Children make their own paths into the unknown, paths we would never think of making for them." - John Holt

What new learning path did you and your child venture into this summer?

Encouraging creativity with TinkerBox

"To invent you need a good imagination and a pile of junk." - Thomas Edison

Have you ever noticed what kids do when they are given a pile of junk? Junk, not toys. Just Junk. Surprise!  They start to tinker with the pile in million ways we never would have thought about. This tinkering encourages them to think critically, solve problems, and most importantly stay creative.

What is tinkering?
To quote The Exploratorium,  "tinkering is thinking with your hands and learning through doing. It’s slowing down and getting curious about the mechanics and mysteries of the everyday stuff around you."

What is a Tinker box?
 A tinkerbox (also known as Tinker tray) at our house, is a simple divided box with various loose parts. You can read more about loose parts play and creativity in a post written a few months back.  So, when in mood to play with something new or just tinker with something, tinker box is our go to resource.

The Tinker Box

What is in our tinker box?
1. Rings and Sticks
2. Googly eyes - adds a character to anything it is attached to instantly.
3. Straws
4. Pipe cleaners/chenille sticks or wires
5. buttons and beads
6. Popsicle sticks/ craft sticks
7. Feathers
8. Push Pins
9. Yarn/String
10. Pattern blocks/shapes
11. Bonding materials such as tapes,glue and rubber bands
12. cardboard tubes and recyclables

Basically, a tinker box can comprise of any number of familiar, interesting materials left to be used in unfamiliar ways.

If tinker box contains craft items then what is the difference between tinkering and crafting for preschoolers?

Both tinkering and crafting are about making something. But in tinkering, you do not follow stepwise instructions to achieve a neat end result. When tinkering, the end result may reveal as you go.

How to initiate and maintain interest in tinkering?

If a new material is added to tinkerbox or tinkerbox is just being introduced, I would set up provocations displaying a few ways the materials can be used creatively.

A small provocation setup by me

To sustain kids' interest, I add other open ended materials such as play dough, paper and coloring materials etc.
I also rotate materials according to the kids current interest if the box goes unnoticed for some time.Say, the kids are currently interested in cars, adding materials for wheels (like bottle caps) and axles (sticks or skewers) can help bring their interest back to tinkering.

So what do Sid and Nidhi do with their tinkerbox?

Creative Expression
Sid and Nidhi enjoy using loose parts in the tinker box for expressing their creative thoughts, for story telling and to retell their experiences.

Here is Sid's depiction of a juggler after visiting a juggling show.

A juggler balancing on a ring by Sid

 Here is a story told by Nidhi about two little girls trying to find their way home. She also documented her representation as drawing on paper.

Girls walking on road by Nidhi

For Pretend/Imaginative play:

A simple tinkering of cardstock paper with couple of pipe cleaners can transform them into little prince and princess.

Prince and Cinderella with their self made crowns

Add a pair of googly eyes and you get an instant pretend companion.

Look! My little car is drinking juice(petrol)

Here is a short video of Sid singing with a  Banjo built by him and Nidhi listening to the song with her pretend headphones and mike.

Here is Sid playing a banjo made with cork board, a train track, push pins and rubber bands.

Sid playing a DIY banjo

For Preschool Math and literacy learning:

Though this way of using loose parts may not contribute towards tinkering, it reinforces versatility of tinker box.

Nidhi building alphabets with popsicle sticks

Sorting buttons by colors

Preschool Engineering:

Nidhi trying out a pulley system

Piggy's straw house

Art projects:

Often just having fun results in amazing art products like this mobile made by Nidhi hanging elegantly in our room.

A mobile made of loose parts from the tinker box

Another hanging mobile in making

And more importantly having fun!

A happy face with pins and rubber band

Do you have a tinker box for your preschooler? What's in it? Share your thoughts.

“The creative process in tinkering, I believe, lets your mind escape from the day-in and day-out of life. And I think it's so important, when we’re building something, to escape.” – Scott Weaver