The Sufficiency of Nature.

Today I was struck by the sufficiency of nature.

Following an intensive morning meeting where the children discussed their thoughts and ideas about “pushing games with hands” (also known as roughhousing); we set up a few stations around the Benches. There was art, a science area with guides, books and stories—but, when Abby called the children’s attention to a caterpillar on one of the benches, it was as if everything else disappeared. There was only this small furry creature with small yellow dots, inching its way across a bench.

After a few minutes, the children began creating play structures for the caterpillar, which Abby identified as a Tent Moth caterpillar. NI and BK led the effort. Shortly thereafter, another caterpillar appeared on the side of the science bin and was quickly introduced to the first. During the next half hour, multiple children visited the caterpillars in their structure, adding more levels, areas, and ramps for them. The children wondered at the caterpillars’ behavior, resolved conflicts over and reconciled their visions for the structure, and cheered them on as they moved around and around.

As they observed the creatures I looked around—the papers were untouched. The stories are unread. Instead, the caterpillars had supplied the day’s curriculum; and it lacked nothing. Even other activities—such as EW, BG, and MDD digging endeavor—became related to the caterpillars. At various times BK and NI decided to draw the caterpillars, BG measured their length, and many children used magnifying glasses and bug jars to observe them. Nature supplied everything needed—and the tools, pens, papers, shovels, measures, etc. were useful because of the ways the facilitated the children’s unfolding encounter with the natural world.

Happy exploring, friends!

Ron