Overcoming frustration through the creative process

On occasion, my daughter invites several young families to my house for a life group meeting. The families bring their children and when I think about it, I try to provide an activity for the preschool age children to do. 

On this particular evening, only two young boys came. Having seen all the wonderful ideas on tape creativity by Teacher Tom and others, I decided to try it myself. I set out several rolls of colored tape, some paper, and some crayons on the dining room table. I left the paper and tape there to see if the boys would notice it - kind of like setting up an interest center.

Eventually the boys wondered in the room and inqured about the tape and paper. I didn't give any specific directions, I just helped the boys pull out a strip of tape and they began to stick the tape to the paper. 

The younger of the two brothers became immediately frustrated because his tape got all tangled and he wanted to quit. I said, "let's try again only this time, you pull on the end of the tape." He pulled on the end of the tape and then looked up at me. He then pulled a little more and looked at me again...  then a little more... and a little more... then he said "I'm finished."  I tore the end off and he worked to get the tape stuck to the paper but once again, it got rather tangled.

This time, however, instead of getting frustrated, he quickly asked for another color of tape. Again, I held the end, and he pulled... and pulled.  Then he discovered that if he stood still and I walked backwards, he could even get a longer strip of tape. He directed me around the room and then would eventually say "stop." After a few times of this, he decided that he rather have shorter pieces of tape so he could stick them to his paper.

Meanwhile, the older brother caught on quickly. I started to show the older brother how to tear the tape with his fingers but he found out that if he pulled really hard, the tape would snap apart. He wasn't interested in hearing about my two finger tearing tape apart technique:) Both of the boys discovered something about the process that interested them and both of them were engaged in the process.

I want to make sure that everyone understands the key point here. It wasn't making the picture that was fun at first. What made this activity fun was manipulating the tape. Once the boys figured out how to manipulate the tape, then they began to have an interest in creating their picture.

The younger brother no longer became frustrated with the project once he was given freedom to just explore the tape. Now it was a fun idea and in the process he began to learn how to manipulate the tape. The younger brother went from giving up to being engaged - from having a lack of tape handling skills to being quite proficient - all in a matter of 20 to 30 minutes of time.

As we manipulated and created with tape, the parents came upstairs that they got involved too. In the end, both brothers made a wonderful tape picture and gave it to their dad as a present.

I enjoyed the process too. I learned that I don't need to teach kids how to create. Instead - I just need to facilitate the opportunity and then take note of what types of learning are taking place as the process unfolds.

Deborah


View more on what kids learn from experiences with tape....  

International Early Childhood Education Tape-off Challenge

Casa Maria

Bakers and Astronauts 

Leaves and Branches, and Trunks and Roots

The value of tape in the preschool classroom

I missed the memo several weeks ago or so that said all early childhood bloggers are supposed to write about tape. So I am now going to jump on the band wagon!

The value of tape

My fellow bloggers have provided beautiful examples and illustrations of the value of tape. I encourage you to read each of their posts on this topic but here are a few highlights.


Teacher Tom shares his "tape machine"  and the beautiful tape sculpture that was created on his classroom door.  As two students tried to stretch a long length of tape across the floor, the tape kept sticking to the floor and Teacher Tom observed, "They were performing these experiments simultaneously, both making similar discoveries. Neither seemed frustrated, just deeply engaged in the process of problem-solving."


Preschool Daze also shared pictures of their classroom tape ball. Another beautiful illustration of children being given the opportunity to explore, create, and work together.


Brick by Brick shares awesome illustrations of how the tape was used in the block center to create roads and in the art center to create pictures and books. He also discusses the need to help students be successful: "If you are using tape, remember to provide scissors to cut it. Tearing tape is a difficult skill and you will be tearing a lot of tape if you don't give them scissors to use..."   


Let the Children Play also shared photos of how her students used a variety of tape to create tape pictures.

Key Points

Allowing preschoolers to freely play and manipulate tape can lead to new learning and developmental growth.

Fine motor skills are strengthened as the children work to pull, tear, stick, and manipulate the tape.

Eye-hand coordination is promoted as the children try to keep the tape from sticking to the wrong surface to soon and as they work to apply the tape successfully to the surface they have chosen.

Critical thinking skills are being challenged as children try to decide how they will be able to keep the tape from falling to the ground or stick to itself when they tear off a long strip.

Mathematical thinking is challenged as the children determine what length of tape is needed to accomplish their goal or as they create various shapes on the floor or on paper.

Creative skills are fostered as the children use the tape to make a giant tape ball or use the tape to create a picture or book.

Social Skills are promoted as children communicate, collaborate, and cooperate together to make a tape creation or keep the tape from sticking incorrectly or even when someone needs help tearing a piece of tape off of the role.

Make a tape donation box!

You might be thinking, I just can't afford to let my students use up all the tape - it simply isn't in the budget. In that case, make a tape donation box. More than likely your preschool parents have tape they don't need collecting dust somewhere around the house or in the garage.

Set out a decorated shoebox in a prominent place and label it as your "Tape Box" Tell parents that if they happen to have tape they can donate, just drop it in the box. Any type of tape will do - colored tape, masking tape, clear tape, painter's tape, and so on. Parents are often happy to donate simple items for the classroom and tape is an easy request.

Perhaps if you feel like you have a constant and plentyful supply of tape, you will feel more relaxed about letting your preschoolers use the tape as often as they like.