There are a lot of misconceptions about beautiful play invitations not really being for children.
“They don’t notice or care, why would you do that?”
First of all, what a complete dismissal of children’s ability to appreciate beauty. To believe that they don’t notice or care is to believe they are not fully human, not capable of such complex thoughts. Humans are drawn to beauty. We sit in awe of nature’s beauty when we marvel at the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls or a desert sunset. So yes, children can and do appreciate it.
Now, let’s consider going to a restaurant where your meal is presented to you on a paper plate, thrown together in a sloppy pile in the middle. And then compare the experience to one at a 5 star restaurant where food is prepared with intention and care. Now sure, sometimes life calls for paper plates and thrown together meals. But don’t you look forward to those nice meals? Don’t you take out your phone and document that meal so you can remember it?
Sometimes life calls for easy, on-the-go play invitations because, honestly, we are all just trying to survive and do our best. But at the same time, I have found it to be such a gift to create intentional and meaningful invitations for my son. I have noticed he engages with them longer and in much different ways, which is also what I have observed in my time working in early childhood classrooms. I have also enjoyed the creative process for myself, channeling my background as a Reggio-inspired early childhood pedagogical coach.
All this to say, of course you don’t need to offer your children these kinds of experiences if that’s not your thing. But let’s not diminish children’s capacities for meaningful exploration in their play.
Words by the talented and lovely Crystal Lucha who is a champion for art, play, and treating children with the respect they deserve