Letting Go…
My students (aged 3-6) and I would spend the day at the Creek behind our school each week. We called this weekly adventure Kindergarten at the Creek. The children were free to explore within the pre-determined boundaries of the Creek and field. They often played running (trapping) games in the grassy meadow, built fairy houses in the woods or played in the water in the Creek.
The creek bed sat about 5 feet below the grassy meadow. After a tremendous rainstorm, the slope from the field to the Creek would become a fabulous mud slide. I remember the first day that the children noticed this new risky adventure. I can recall my first thoughts, verbalizations, and actions weren’t that of someone who embraces risky play.
When the first child decided to slide down the slope on their bottom, I recall telling them it was not a good choice because the area may become too slippery, and someone could get hurt. When I moved away from that area, another child used the muddy slide to move from the meadow to the Creek. Again I stated that I didn’t think it was a good idea that the area would be closed if they didn’t stop sliding down it.
I cringe a little when I think about my reaction to this situation. It took me a bit to get past my feelings about the muddy slide. After several more visits to the Creek, I finally started listening to the children. They decided that they could create an area that was for the muddy slide and another location that was for walking.
After I let go of my adult need to control the situation, the children could make a decision that met the needs of everyone involved. I can remember their joy and laughter as they took turns sliding down the muddy slide. They even figured out that they could have muddy slide fun even when it had not rained by transporting creek water to the top of the slide and pouring it down. They created a water train where they passed containers of water from person to person from the Creek to the top of the muddy slide
I look back at this experience and clearly recall that it was like turning on a switch. I had seen myself as a guide for the children. I saw them as competent and capable, or so I thought. It was until that moment that I realized that I wasn’t as flexible and child-led as I told myself I was. I was still holding onto this sense of controlling situations that felt uncomfortable. I was finally able to truly let go and trust the children.
