I nearly cried watching this! This is beautiful and brings me so much joy to watch. I can't wait to keep watching these series. Bravo, Sally! Thank you for sharing.
Sally, your videos are so magical! Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful cottage center. I would love to know how you follow up with the salt dough challenges for clean up of tiny pieces (because that would be the thing that would drive me nuts)! Also, do you feel the need to color the salt dough or do you prefer to leave it the natural color?
Such an interesting video on salt dough and social play! Personally never done salt dough but have done Playdough and the children in my center love it! Might introduce this next time I do Playdough with the children!
How many kiddos do you have and what are the age ranges of the children in your videos? I'm trying to picture how I could make it work in a class of twenty 4 year-olds without rotating centers. I love all of the ideas and always have this dream in my head of using it in the classroom and then once I enter the room with the energy of 20 kiddos all in one space, I quickly wonder how I can make it work without rotating--because everyone wants to be where the fun and intrigue is! haha! I love the calm that I see in the video and am wondering if I can create the same calm with a large group?
Oh my gosh - what a good question. My space is licensed for just 10 children. It is smaller than it looks. I have been in classrooms with 25 four year olds. I think the most important thing about open choice is to keep it super simple in the beginning and let the children get used to moving where they want. I give it about 6 weeks to settle in to moving where they want before I introduce highly engaging play invitations. During those 6 weeks we hyper focus on returning materials to their original "homes." Cross-pollination is a nightmare if you don't establish care of the materials. So it takes us a while to settle into these routines. THEN I start provoking and inviting with new materials. There will be invitations to play half the class wants to engage in. I will adjust the size of the space to accommodate. It is amazing how flexible spaces can be if we look through the lens of adjusting for play interests. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have further questions.
My question is not specifically sourced from this video. How would you adjust all of that you share with us for younger aged children? I work with 2-3 year olds. Any recommendations?
Great question. I think it is small adjustments in providing more age appropriate materials and materials your class is interested in. I have worked with 3-year-olds and my environment was very much like this one.
I nearly cried watching this! This is beautiful and brings me so much joy to watch. I can't wait to keep watching these series. Bravo, Sally! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much! It means so much. My heart is full.
Same! I want this so badly for my grandson. There is nothing here even close. I would start my own but I'm exhausted.
I love this! What amazing work you do ♥️
Thank you for watching!
What a great business concept you have. Thanks YT algo for sending me here.
I love starting my day or ending my week with these videos.
Thank you! I love that so much my friend.
Your cottage is stunning! I just love it. These videos bring joy into my whole being.
Thank you. You made my day!
Sally, your videos are so magical! Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful cottage center. I would love to know how you follow up with the salt dough challenges for clean up of tiny pieces (because that would be the thing that would drive me nuts)! Also, do you feel the need to color the salt dough or do you prefer to leave it the natural color?
What is the age range of children at the cottage? How many hours are they in attendance? Love your space!!
It is a very satisfying video! 😄
Amazing to see the kids and inspiring about growing my own children.
Yes! I am really hopeful that it inspires parents as well.
Such an interesting video on salt dough and social play! Personally never done salt dough but have done Playdough and the children in my center love it! Might introduce this next time I do Playdough with the children!
It has a slightly different texture and can be baked to preserve what the children make if you wish.
How many kiddos do you have and what are the age ranges of the children in your videos? I'm trying to picture how I could make it work in a class of twenty 4 year-olds without rotating centers. I love all of the ideas and always have this dream in my head of using it in the classroom and then once I enter the room with the energy of 20 kiddos all in one space, I quickly wonder how I can make it work without rotating--because everyone wants to be where the fun and intrigue is! haha! I love the calm that I see in the video and am wondering if I can create the same calm with a large group?
Oh my gosh - what a good question. My space is licensed for just 10 children. It is smaller than it looks. I have been in classrooms with 25 four year olds. I think the most important thing about open choice is to keep it super simple in the beginning and let the children get used to moving where they want. I give it about 6 weeks to settle in to moving where they want before I introduce highly engaging play invitations. During those 6 weeks we hyper focus on returning materials to their original "homes."
Cross-pollination is a nightmare if you don't establish care of the materials. So it takes us a while to settle into these routines. THEN I start provoking and inviting with new materials. There will be invitations to play half the class wants to engage in. I will adjust the size of the space to accommodate. It is amazing how flexible spaces can be if we look through the lens of adjusting for play interests.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have further questions.
My question is not specifically sourced from this video. How would you adjust all of that you share with us for younger aged children? I work with 2-3 year olds. Any recommendations?
Great question. I think it is small adjustments in providing more age appropriate materials and materials your class is interested in. I have worked with 3-year-olds and my environment was very much like this one.
Would it be possible to adapt it for children between 1 and 2 years old?
So inspiring! Thank you!
Thank you! We are loving our sweet little space.
very beautiful presentation
Thank you so much.
Sally, can you post your favourite recipe for salt dough?
Yes. This website has detailed instructions: www.yummytoddlerfood.com/the-best-salt-dough-ornaments/
Thank you!
Why salt dough vs homemade play dough? Just curious 😊