Because I’m approaching the children with a research question in the block area: How Can We Bridge Our Ideas?,  I asked them, “What do you know about balance?” I anticipated that they would represent it with blocks. But Olive’s response guided the rest of the group in an unexpected direction.

Olive: There are different ways to balance. I can balance on one foot.

Dahlia: I can balance on one foot too!

Gus: Me too!

Teacher Flora: You are balancing on one foot! How would you balance blocks?

Immediately, the children used their kinesthetic knowledge and applied it to the blocks. They turned and began to build parallel to each other. Then Gus noticed Olive’s tall building.

Gus: Can I help you? This can be the merry-go-round. (He brings the double blocks).

Olive: The merry-go-round can be for the animals.

When Olive says that, Bowe notices her picking one of his favorite animals-the cheetah. He gets up and pretends to be the cheetah and then says: “I want to climb on it.” Then the building falls over.

Olive: Oh, no!

Teacher Flora: How can we repair it?

Bowe: Looks at her and begins to stack the blocks again.

Gus: I have an idea. How about if we don’t build it too high and we build it low?

As teachers, we are always interested in finding out how materials serve as mediums to bridge children’s relationships. We are intentional with our language, using the term ‘repair’ rather than ‘fix’ so that we are not implying something has been broken. This way, we theorize, children can see beyond the event and consider solutions. My question was an invitation to connect further and continue listening to each other. The children successfully navigated a new building together and perhaps made a bridge to include possibilities of collaboration, even in the face of challenges. -Teacher Flora, and Kristin