This post was originally published on July 20, 2017.

Making dinner or lunch? Why not include your child in the process! Cooking with your child is a fun way to work on math, fine motor, and gross motor skills. It also allows them to invest in the meal they are about to eat. Here are a few ways to make the experience extra child friendly:

1. Re-write the Recipe: Go over the recipe you are going to make with your child. If possible, add images/drawings of the ingredients needed. Give your child a chance to “write” their own version of the recipe on a separate sheet. Going through this process helps your child build on their understanding of sequencing. Use “first….then…” phrases.
2. Measure: This is an excellent way to work on math skills. Working with more than one child? Divide up measurements to smaller units to allow for more participation.
3. Pour: This is a big milestone in a child’s development and requires a lot of practice. If you are worried about a big mess, place a plastic bin lid or plastic table cloth on the floor to create a pouring station.
4. Mix: Mixing is a great gross motor activity. Sing a song or count while mixing! If items are spilling out of the bowl, transfer a small portion to another bowl for your child to mix.
5. Cut: Provide your child with a very blunt knife or a spoon to cut up soft items such as butter or bananas. While not all recipes include a child friendly item to cut, consider providing them with an item to cut that can be served as a side dish/appetizer. They will enjoy mimicking the way that you cut the tougher items.
6. Cook: Baking, boiling, toasting, grilling, etc. is the magical transformation and the scientific part of cooking. While these steps of the process are the most dangerous for your child, they are also some of the most exciting. Allow your child to observe and “check on food” from a safe distance.
7. Serve: Serving the food is a great way to practice their balance and to develop upper arm strength!
8. Share: Children are working hard on practicing this important social skill. Having them share the food over which they feel ownership provides great practice!
9. Talk about Nutrition: Sometimes this conversation gets lost in the shuffle and excitement of the cooking process. Take a little extra time to explain to your child why we need different ingredients to make a nutritious and well balanced meal. Work with your child to sort each item on their plate into the different food pyramid categories (grains, fruits, veggies, proteins, etc.)
10. Wash/Clean up: Ask your child to help clear the table and help with the dishes. Washing the dishes is a fun water play activity! Not ready to have them work at the sink with breakables? Fill a small tub with soapy water for them to wash a selected set of dishes!

Have fun cooking traditions or tips to share? We would love to hear them!

In the past year SEEC began a book club to enhance our practice through discussions about books relevant to our field.  As educators (and parents for some of us), it can be hard to find time to read books of interest, but having a dedicated time and place to discuss amongst colleagues has proved to be a valuable incentive. Our most recent meeting was about Einstein Never Used Flash Cards  and our conversation centered around the pressure parents often feel related to parenting and how educators can help to alleviate that pressure.  

Parenting Pressure

For October’s book club, we chose Einstein Never Used Flash Cards by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Roberta Michnick Golikoff and Diane Eyer. The book focuses on the pressures that caretakers and educators increasingly feel in regards to young children and achievement.  In the first chapter the authors state, “as parenting itself becomes more competitive, many moms and dads worry that their children could be left behind if they don’t take advantage of every available opportunity” (p. 7).  The book points out that many toy and media companies have capitalized on this fear by producing numerous educational toys that will “give your kids an edge.”  In this day and age, many parents feel anxious to “make the most of these early, finite years.”  During our book club we talked about some of these pressures, and how we can share SEEC’s philosophy and educational experience with caregivers and other educators to help ease these anxieties.

Academics vs. Context Learning

Our book club participants ranged from infant to kindergarten educators and each of them shared that they had observed this parenting pressure. They noted that parents’ concerns ranged from academic skills to overall school readiness. One educator noted,

“It makes sense they’re concerned with academics.  It’s human nature to want what’s best for your child, and it’s ingrained in society that you need good test scores and to participate in numerous activities, or you’ll get left behind.”

Thinking about the book and the group’s personal experiences, we began to realize that both caretakers and educators ultimately want what is best for the child. The difference seems to stem from HOW we achieve those results.  The authors of the book observed that many caretakers view worksheets, flashcards, and drills as the means through which children will achieve academically. Many times, caregivers don’t recognize that learning occurs naturally via play.  Adults often don’t understand that when learning is coupled with play (at SEEC, we recognize that there are many types of play), the results are more powerful and long lasting. The group concurred with the book’s notion that learning should be fun and “…unleash the child’s natural curiosity and creativity” (p. 257).

We’ve witnessed this combination of play, creativity and curiosity in our own classrooms.  We view play as a vehicle to teach content and build developmental skills. For example, a few years ago one of our four-year-old classes was interested in digging.  The educators noticed this and they embarked on a three month exploration of the underground world.  The class experimented with pipes, understood mining through play, gardened, learned about animals that dig, and even spent some time talking about ancient civilizations and the clues about them that are hidden underground.  Academic learning was integrated throughout the unit as they learned new vocabulary, drew or wrote about their experiences, counted pipes, read literature, and more.  Instead of learning academic skills in a vacuum, we make learning meaningful and memorable by focusing on what is important and immediate in their lives.

Active Learners

Some parents, understandably, feel that they are solely responsible for their child’s learning and development,  but where does that leave the child? We believe that children are active learners and while adults do have a a role in a child’s learning, the onus isn’t all on them.  The role of an adult, “is to see our children as active learners, to see the world as a virtual school year of interesting lessons, and to find a happy medium that allows us both to teach children and to retain the unprogrammed benefits of childhood” (p. 251).  During our meeting we discussed how we, at SEEC, strive to strike a balance between structured learning opportunities, and unstructured play time.  We want children to leave our doors with a sense of wonder and a love of learning that will motivate them to work hard even when learning becomes difficult.

The authors also provide some perspective stating, “millions of years of evolution have created children who love to learn on their own-it’s how nature has ensured our survival” (p. 21).

Being Present 

The book also explored specific ways in which this pressure impacted caregiver/child interactions.  One of the participants echoed the book’s sentiment that parents are often not “in the moment.” She shared that she’s witnessed parents focus solely on the intended outcome of an activity so that the child gets it “right.” It felt, to her, like parents aren’t always able to enjoy the experience. This was echoed in the book as well, “families are apparently so busy stimulating their children, they increasingly have little time just to enjoy one another” (p. 5).  We would also suggest that there is value in the process and that by slowing down and allowing a child to direct the course of their play, they learn valuable skills like problem-solving and perseverance.

The group also discussed how important it is to be present so that adults can learn ABOUT their children. The book remarks that it is worthwhile to take the time to be “be good observers to find out what our children are interested in and … build from there” (p. 130).   Learning experiences are more meaningful and memorable for both the adult and child when it stems from the child and not the adult.

General Thoughts on the Book 

During our discussion, we acknowledged that early childhood is a critical time in a child’s life, but we agreed with the book that it is not the time to fit EVERYTHING in.  Instead, it’s a time to foster a love of learning and a sense of wonder that will benefit them throughout their entire lives.

Our only complaint was that tone of the book was heavy handed at times. Ironically, we felt that it might leave parents feeling more pressure, rather than less. At SEEC, we believe that parenting is hard work and we do our best not to be judgmental. While we feel that it is important to educate our parent community, we want to do so in a way that makes them feel comfortable and supported.  Overall though, we  agreed that the research presented was helpful and understandable. The suggestions for parents at the end of each chapter brought these concepts into real life, and provided accessible ideas for all families.  We’ll definitely keep this book handy as a reference down the road.

Read along with us!  Our next book will be Free to Learn by Peter Gray, and see what we’ve read in the past on our Pinterest board.

References:

Hirsh-Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R. M, & Eyer, D. (2003). Einstein never used flash cards: How our children really learn- and why they need to play more and memorize less. New York, NY: Rodale Books.

Teaching in the Japanese Screen Galleries in 2001

The Freer and Sackler Galleries, one of the jewels of the National Mall, reopened just a few weeks ago and our faculty is grateful to have it back. For those of you who don’t know, the Freer|Sackler is comprised mostly of Asian art with a small collection of 19th century American art.  I love this museum. I worked here at the beginning of my career and it is still one of my favorite museums in which to teach.  When I began working in early education though, I observed that many of my colleagues struggled using this collection with young children. I can see their perspective — many of the concepts and traditions represented throughout the collection can be complex and unfamiliar.

With the reopening, it felt like the perfect time to explore the Freer|Sackler through the lens of early childhood education. At SEEC, we believe that it is imperative to introduce children to cultures and ideas other than their own. We feel that this exposure helps them develop empathy and perspective and moreover, it prepares them to be global citizens. We also feel strongly that all the children in our school should be represented through our lessons. It is vital that children see themselves reflected in their learning environment.

Over the course of our almost 30 years, SEEC has worked hard to define approaches that engage children and help them make meaning of objects that might have little or nothing to do with their daily life. Because we know that small children connect best with what they know and do regularly, I wanted to highlight a few ways to approach this collection. The following list is by no means complete, it is more of a snapshot of the techniques an educator, or even a parent, can use with children.  If you discover something I haven’t, please leave a comment – we are always looking to learn from our educator community.

Storytelling

Scenes from the Life of the Buddha; Pakistan or Afghanistan, Kushan Dynasty (late 2nd – early 3rd century); stone, Purchase, Freer Gallery of Art; F1949.9a-d 

Storytelling is a tool for the young and the old alike, and the Freer|Sackler houses its fair share of good stories. The Museum includes stories of Hindu gods, the life of the Buddha, and Chinese folktales – just to name a few.  With some research and dramatic flair, an educator can bring these stories to life. At SEEC, we often make books for our younger students. This helps us gather information and format it in an accessible way for our students.

Key pieces:

• Shiva Nataraja
• Life of the Buddha
• Monkeys Grasp for the Moon by Xu Bing

Connecting the Familiar with the Unfamiliar

Young children are concrete learners. If you take something with which they are

Explore the sounds a Chinese bell makes.

familiar and put it next to something with which they are not familiar, you make a connection.

Here are some connections:

• Music – Resound: Ancient Bells of China is a great exhibit not just because there are bells, but because there are several hands-on components that allow children to understand sound and to hear the difference between Chinese and western bells. Consider bringing a real bell or shaker on your visit to provide a hands-on experience.
• Animals – There are many examples from which to choose, but of course one of the most prominent work is the Peacock Room by James McNeill Whistler. When visiting the Peacock Room, bring photos of peacocks and/or peacock feathers. Encourage the children to look closely at both the peacock and the room to notice shapes, colors, similarities, and differences.
• Seasons – The American art galleries in the Freer have a great collection of paintings depicting different seasons and weather. There are so many contextual objects that you can use when exploring seasons. Educators might consider bringing seasonal clothing and/or photos, ice packs, or sensory bottles containing seasonal colors or natural elements.
• Writing/Books – In addition to a gallery that explores Buddhist sutras, there are other examples of writing from all across Asia throughout the Museum. Bring examples of your favorite children’s books and/or special books that might be important to you or to one of your student’s families.
  

  Guardian figure; Japan, Kamakura period (1185–1333); wood; Purchase, Freer Gallery of Art; F1949.21

• Human Body, Gestures or Movement – There are two galleries devoted to how the human body is depicted on the Indian subcontinent. You can also find other examples, including this Guardian Figure from Japan. Don’t be afraid to encourage children to move their bodies in these spaces. The opportunity to move and explore their own body will enrich the experience and develop their gross motor skills.

Do you ever wonder why babies put things in their mouths? That is how they learn. Young children begin to understand their world by using their five senses (actually there are seven, but that is another blog – vestibular and proprioception). So I was especially excited to see that Freer has a whole room devoted to Islamic art and the senses. Plates, candlesticks, incense burners, and illustrations of music are just a few of the objects you will encounter. While you obviously can’t burn incense or make a meal in the galleries, educators can easily pair these objects with in-classroom activities that might inspire our sense of smell or taste.  It might also be an opportunity to reach out to your classroom families, the objects in these galleries come from a wide geographic area and might help you make some personal connections in your community.

The Sackler  has a Tibetan shrine room that will allow children to be in a space where they will encounter sumptuous images while listening Buddhist chants and watching the flickering of candlelight. The accompanying app, Sacred Spaces, has a lot of information to help inform your visit. If you have the time, you can distill a few key points that can help your students make stronger connections.

Beauty

At SEEC, we believe that young children should be introduced to art, begin to develop a visual vocabulary, and embrace their own creativity. The works throughout the museum, but especially in the American galleries, offer young children the opportunity to explore and notice similarities and differences.

Charles Lang Freer’s taste in collecting art was influenced by the Aesthetic Movement in the late 1800’s, which advocated for “art for art’s sake.”  The artists associated with this movement were more concerned with making art that was an expression of creativity and beauty. I think this quote, taken from the Freer|Sackler website, sums it up well.

.. it was through American art of his own time that Freer developed the habits of quiet contemplation and intelligent comparison that he hoped to share with future generations of museum visitors.

I think Freer would be satisfied to know that SEEC’s students are using his art collection to begin  developing their own aesthetic and appreciation for museums.