Thinking outside (and inside and around) the box Story by Edith M. Peter Photos by Julie Wiatt

Building blocks have been an early-childhood favorite since time immemorial. Yet, for much less money, parents and teachers can foster young children’s creative, scientific, language, and social skills by providing an assortment of recycled materials for children to play with.

At the recent National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Conference at the Washington Convention Center, play experts such as Dr. Walter Drew illustrated that children who play with everyday recycled materials demonstrate more creativity and problem solving, with no preconceptions about what to make, than children playing with store-bought materials.

As children focus on the properties of recyclable materials and the similarities and differences of their size, shape, texture, and usefulness, they are developing the underpinnings of scientific concepts such as gravity, volume, capacity, and additional properties of matter.

Brain research has also shown that when children participate in tactile and/or kinesthetic experiences such as playing with recyclable materials, they will tend to have meaningful discussions, enhancing their language skills by describing feelings, motions, and symbolic thought.

Of course, there is each child’s excitement of discussing what he/she learned from experimenting with the recycled materials. For instance, a child might be fascinated by the way an aerosol can top can roll in what seems perpetual motion. Then there is the discovery of what is or isn’t stackable. In initial attempts to describe their experience, children increase their present vocabulary.

And if they are playing with others, a grown-up or another child who elaborates on what occurred will further enhance that child’s vocabulary, as well as tap that child’s interest in what others have to say about their play exploration. Acquiring the social skill of listening is an important stage in the development of communication.

It is important to provide children with materials that can help them channel nervous or frustrated energy. Elastic or squishy items serve as excellent relaxing, sensory integration toys.

Rather than searching to buy the perfect “squishables,” you can make your own by filling old nylon stockings or balloons with sand, dough, or a mixture of water and cornstarch.

Of course, popping the bubbles of bubble wrap is a favorite de-stressor for children. One can also draw eyes on discarded foam used for packages and encourage your child to give this new “pet” a message.

Certain foam peanuts used for packaging becomes soft when dipped in water and are great for making sculptures. Hard styrofoam peanuts can also become works of art using glue or bobby pins.

Reusable items allow for play exploration that is neither gender-specific nor battery operated. Not all interesting playthings that aid in social/emotional, cognitive, and physical development must be purchased at the toy store and empty one’s pocketbooks.

What society does with our increasing excesses of waste is an ongoing dilemma. What if young children begin to regularly play and make things with reusable materials such as fabric, wood, jar tops, and cardboard tubing with their inherent value for social development, whole language, and open-ended play experiences?

When children play with recycled materials, they will be more inclined to reduce and reuse waste products. As they get older, they will be more likely to ask “what is this made of and how?”
If indeed children have the benefit of playing with reusable recyclable material, we might all live in a different and better world.

Edith Peter is an associate teacher who provides art enrichment activities at Takoma Children’s School. For more information about ways to use recyclables, go to www.reusableresources.org.

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