✨ Does it really matter

So many times I have heard educators tell children they can do certain things. No you can’t touch that. No you can’t move that. No you can do that!  WHY? If you can not tell them why with a logical answer, let them do it. 
Did anyone get hurt, did any property get damaged? 

I got this pinwheel for my yard in my old home, and had just unpacked it and placed it accordingly in the garden and admired it. Monday morning comes around and one of the children grabs it out of the dirt and started carrying it around. I almost asked them to put it back. I took a breath and asked myself, “Is anyone going to get hurt? Is any property going to get damaged?” No, then no big deal, walk away! (Plus I bought it from the dollar store for two bucks so it’s not really that big of a deal!) And so I didn't say a word! 

What came about was magical  “I like how when I walk the colors go around.” After running around: “If I stop, it stops” “when the wind stops I have to blow”….. concentration, attention span, one on one correspondence, eye hand for ordination, science discoveries, relationship to the world, exploring real items, relationship building, self confidence, self esteem…. so many real and hands on learning opportunities.

And guess what!!!!?? It didn’t get broken and they always put it back in the garden.  Not in the same place, HOWEVER, it doesn’t really matter!

There’s so much rich exploration, discovery and learning for children if we just stop and ask the question, “does it really matter?”

Serendipity ~
Ser.en.dip.i.ty [ser-uhn-dip-i-tee]- Noun 1. Luck in making desirable discoveries by accident
​