Have you ever offered a child a new toy and found that they were much more interested in the cardboard box it came in or the foam packaging that surrounded it? Or, have you ever noticed the intricate patterns and arrangements an older child might make with the creamers and sugar packets atop a restaurant table? We’re kind of the same way! This week, I (Shannon) interviewed Bar about her practice of collecting, curating, and offering recyclables and everyday items. Bar has a knack for seeing the potential in the everyday and for making junk absolutely irresistible for art and play. She regularly hauls her repurposed collection to her local library, where over a hundred children of all ages explore the treasures and combine them in endless ways.
If you work, live, or create with children, you know that maintaining a practice of collecting everyday items without feeling burdened or overwhelmed by stuff is challenging. But those materials, destined for the landfill or recycling plant, turn to magic in children’s hands and spark creativity and joy in grown-ups, too! And, you don’t have to spend any more money to collect, use, and offer them in abundance.
In today’s post:
Bar’s simple 2-step collection system to keep her workshops stocked
How Bar moves these materials from collection to curation to creation
What happens when children have access to these materials in a YES space
Make simple tinker boxes for exploration at home or for the classroom.
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