I'm sure most of us who have spent time with young children will be familiar with the constant questions about 'how things work'.
What does that do? Why? How? Does it move? Why doesn't it move? How can you make it move? Can I push it? The questions can be endless, however, letting children explore objects with switches, levers, pulleys, handles, buttons and cogs to name but a few of the gadgets will help our children further their understanding and learning.
When our newly installed 'tech' table arrived the effects were instant, staff stood back seeing children at every part quietly engrossed, touching buttons, pushing and pulling levers, finding out how things work. Not one argument; children shared their space and the gadgets watching each other, demonstrating their finds, showing each other what happens if ? Sharing their experiences. Their pro-active learning was fantastic, silently the children were fully engrossed absorbed in what they were doing. Prof.Ferre Laevers of Leuven University, Belgium is convinced that "an involved child is gaining a deep, motivated, intense and long term experience." Prof. Laevers bases his theories on the premise that the most productive learning, whatever our age, occurs when we are so involved with something that we lose ourselves in it.
So...on reflection…..we apologise if every switch, lever and button are now being pressed in your homes but maybe create your own 'tech' table. In fact why not create a 'tech' panel that can be the flight deck of a space ship, or the secret superhero laboratory...the possibilities are endless!
Tam Chivers