Making a river

Another trip to Chatsworth, and another bit on our river project.  Many playgrounds these days are well resourced enough to have these amazing things... but we particularly enjoy this archimedes screw and accompanying water feature in a sand pit which provides endless opportunities for collaborative play.  This was the second river project they worked on during their visit, but the biggest hit.  They planned it so meticulously, and thoughtfully so as to create the river despite which way the balance was going, and it most importantly led the water back into the river from where it was sourced via the Archimedes screw.  Their efforts over their visits have led Evan and his friends to recognise key elements necessary in successful channel building - including not letting the water come down before you have created your channel so that it doesn't pool ineffectively at different junctures.  

This was about 15 minutes before we had to leave

Evan was beginning turning the Archimedes Screw to get the flow going just before we left.

It is going...

Here we begin to see the channels - which have been tried out.

Water joining t the two tributuries.

The channel flow has stopped.  They had tried the channel out, but it had filled back with sand as they had nothing to stop the sand falling in again.  So Tom re-dug out this section on the fly as Evan turned the screw.

Keep going Tom!

Here you can see a section where it pooled.

Here is the last bit of the circut, below here led to the river - both our batteries ran out so no more photos I'm afraid!

During this magnificent play Su and I were discussing how well the kids were playing and I have to say it makes such a difference that they have free reign over the equipment, and are not being pressured (either by peers, or adults) to share.  There are valuable reasons why we share, but we would never expect a scientist to share his equipment in a lab because a whole heap of other people had arrived and wanted to give it  go.  Equally, I would not be expected to share the use of all my craft equipment by others, especially when in the middle of an important project.  I would find it impertinent if someone demanded that I do so... not unlike the feeling I felt when Su told me that amidst the crowds of Chatsworth House today with the magical Narnia land, when an adult took the plastic crown off of Amy's head and put it on his own, without a word.  Unsurprisingly screaming ensued, and not a word of remorse.

I feel sure that the endless opportunities to play at their own speed and with what they enjoy has an enormous role to play in the learning and development that goes on.  I am so pleased that Home Education affords them these opportunities every day.