Today in school, Carter* was busily working on a puzzle of “red things.” He picked up each piece, a fire truck, a lady bug, and adeptly fitted it into its space in the wooden frame. Next he picked up a strawberry piece. As he tried to set it in, it just wouldn’t fit. He kept trying to jam it in the way he thought it should go, but it just was not working.
He was stuck. What to do next? “Miss Theresa, this won’t fit,” he stressed.
I recommended that Carter turn the piece around and try again. “Keep turning it until it fits,” I suggested.
Carter picked up the strawberry piece, held it in front of his face and began rotating it in the air. He studied it closely as he twirled it around and around.
I couldn’t help but to chuckle out loud. He was after all doing exactly what I had suggested: Keep turning it until it fits! Remember, four-year-olds hear and use language literally.
After turning and rotating it in the air 5 or 6 times, Carter brought the puzzle piece back down to the frame, and guess what? It slid right in!
*all students’ names are changed in my blog
My stories come from the 4-year olds I teach at Lenape Kiddie Kollege
www.lenapekiddiekollege.com
Such a funny story! Children of this age seem to be a never ending source of amusement!
Great blog!