In the Classroom: The Bumblebees
Exploring the "Little" Things
Class trips can be a great educational experience for children. Visiting museums, parks and local businesses inspires wonder and curiosity.
Of course, for the Bumblebees many of those types of places would be too far a trip. Luckily there are many opportunities for wonder and curiosity right outside our doors.
The recent construction on our tot lot and street was incredibly fascinating for the children to watch from our window and to walk past on the street. These types of events are exciting for young children; however, everyday sights can be just as interesting.
When going for a walk around the block, young toddlers often seem to feel that every rock, stick, and leaf needs to be examined. Animals and vehicles are watched intently, often causing us to all stop and stare.
In PIC’s neighborhood we are lucky to have places to explore within a short walking distance. The fields at Locust Walk provide a large space for running and digging. There are gardens right down Locust Street to see flower and veggies blooming in the spring and turning brown in the fall.
This exploration helps young children build their knowledge of what’s in the world around them. It’s important for adults to acknowledge and encourage this curiosity.
For many teachers it becomes second nature to exclaim “oh look at the dog!” as we walk around the block. We name and describe everything we see to model both language and an interest in the wider world.
Our young children appreciate all these "little" things that they see and we can validate their interest by enjoying all those trucks and squirrels ourselves.
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