Diary

 Here is another in our suggestions series: Learning Together at Home (If you haven't already, click on the link to sign up for news and to participate.)

I came across a den like this during last weekend's walk and I wondered how many children are finding the opportunities and time to find and create these hideaways in which so many enchanting ideas and games can brew?

I remember the dens

Under my bed
In cupboards
On top of cupboards
In the cupboard under the stairs
Behind the sofa, with a blanket
Under the fire-guard, with cushions and blankets
Up trees
In the hole under the railway station (secret one, that!)
In the loft

I remember that one of the best things was that adults were Not allowed.

Some years ago (well twenty now) a couple of us who were managing our Woodland Preschool project set up a place for den-making at a summer family festival down south. We called it 'a community of dens.' In the tiniest of woodlands, children would come and venture in, sometimes alone, sometimes brother & sister … They'd find an enticing space, they'd come and seek additional material, bring some from their belongings, and over a few days the place became buzzing, children inviting their parents in sometimes to their magic places.

What places are you finding? What stories and new worlds are growing 'under our feet' in young minds as corners become transformed and precious?

Do post your stories and pictures (join in via the subscribe page to Learning Together at Home.)

Our 'Dens for Imagination' page is here.

This invitation - to look at things in new and unusual ways, or from someone else's perspective  - is a strong component of our  growing knapsack of suggestions at Learning Together at Home .

The same is true of Reggio Children's suggestions to children, which may also inspire you and  your children. Here are links two two such, and there are other light inspirations  to be found at At Home with The Reggio Approach.

Trees have wrinkles that make them more interesting. , Virginia, 5 years

Trees are family

Trees have developed an intelligent way of living that means even though they always stand still they can feed, reproduce, communicate with each other, defend themselves, and even play together. ...

We're proposing some suggestions for work, inviting adults to provide the practical support with materials, but not to intervene in the children's drawings.

We'd like to give them the freedom to investigate how trees are structured and organised, not only the formal structure, but trees as an incredibly interesting life form that we would like to understand more deeply

Click the link below to read more ...

Do share your children's creative investigations on our Learning Together at Home section..

The first thing to do is attach three sheets of paper together with sticky tape. The paper can be medium size, like A4 printer paper (21x30cm).

What if you were a…? 

When we all look at something, we think everyone is seeing what we see, but that isn't exactly what happens. This is a game for reflecting and thinking about how the same object can be seen and interpreted in different ways.

There are many eyes, many minds, many ways of perceiving.

Everyone has a table and a chair at home.

Let's try and draw them on the first sheet of paper the way we usually see them.

 ...  now let's try and make ourselves as small as small can be… as small as an ant.

    ... Now we're going to grow as big as big as big can be… as big as an elephant

Click the link below to read more ...

Do share your children's creative investigations on our Learning Together at Home section..

 Here is another in our suggestions series: Learning Together at Home (If you haven't already, click on the link to sign up for news and to participate.)

We would like to invite the children to design and make and robot and tell us what it is for? It will give them the opportunity to use their imagination, design ideas, making skills, to problem solve and share their thoughts and creative ideas. They could re-purpose household objects, use recycling material and other materials from around the home (with your agreement). Please send us photos of what the children have made or a photo of their drawing of what it could be; and the children's thoughts on it for us share.

" We would like to invite you to make a robot and to tell us what it is for? You could use recycling materials or re-purpose household objects or materials, but please do ask your parents first before using anything. We would love to see your imaginative ideas, your designs and what you've made. If you prefer to draw rather than make, you could draw you're design. Tell us about your thinking in designing and making and your ideas about what the robot would do?"

Here's a first example, from Edward and Thomas, in Penrith: