Think Outside the Box

When I was a preschool teacher, I once dragged a Step2 Boat Sandbox into my room, filled it with pillows and called it a Reading Boat.

No lie.

I saw it at a yardsale in perfect condition for $2.  I couldn't pass it up.  I almost couldn't load it into my Chevy Trailblazer! The boat was HUGE.  But I did and it was a hit with the kids.

I had someone high (very high) in administration visit my classroom.  He stood there in his suit, staring at that boat.  "How did you think of that?" He asked.  Excuse me?  "How did you think to make a sandbox into a reading area?"  I had to think about it.  It's just the way my brain works, I guess.  "Well,"  I began.  "It just screamed Summer Reading Nook to me and it was $2.00."

I was always taking something and making it into something else for my classroom.  That's kinda a preschool teacher super power, right?

When I saw the above cake tray or veggie tray, I thought Now, that would be great as a Rainforest Playscape with a few animals and...Luckily, my husband is a teacher, too, so he totally gets my vision!  (sometimes, he even eggs me on!)

I think kids are the same way.  They don't look at a box and think container for mail.  They think spaceship, race car, pirate boat, doll house.

So think outside the box when planning play for your kids.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Think Outside the Box by melanieshanks on Polyvore