Paper Sculpture Playgrounds

“I’m making a park!” - Saul, 3.6 years

On Friday, Saul and Audrey each had the idea to create  a playground for their collaged creatures/monsters.  Saul used images of lollipops to collage a lollipop playground, while Audrey used paper strips to create (paper bridge) slides for her monster Kiki and it's lovie.  Remembering that we have a lot of knowledge about paper, we decided to create paper sculpture playgrounds.  We were able to draw on our past paper explorations, the techniques that Maren shared with us, and, of course, our imaginations.  

"A park of lollipops." - Saul, 3.6 years

Maybe we should share with Giacomo why we were thinking about a playground.  - Elyse
“Basically, I know why you’re thinking playground.  Because we never did that, and you know, we create new things.  And we never did that.  That’s a new thing. We make new things.” - Giacomo, 4.2 years

What did we bring? What is our plan?

“We’re building a park for Gecko (a plastic frog). I brought some tools [holds up cardboard tube].” - Saul

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As always, we take a moment to share the materials we brought and initial ideas that we may have about how we will proceed with these materials.  

Some initial questions: 
1. What kind of things can we find at the playground? 
2. Have you ever been on the slide at the playground? 
3. Do you have a playground in your neighborhood?
4. Can we think about what's in the outdoor classroom [at St. John's]? 

Saul and Naama speaking to each other about Saul's plan: 
“Together we’re making?” - Saul 
Yes, I will also make myself a little playground. - Naama 
“You add to mine.” - Saul 
Are you and Ima going to work together? - Elyse 
“I’ll decorate. Ima, you can connect your parts to my parts to make a big, big large one. Here I’ve been doing a big park so that everyone can fit in it.” - Saul

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Revisiting and sharing our paper knowledge

“I need this to stand up.” - Giacomo

Maren, from the Tucker Room, taught us this [...]. If you fold the tip, she called it a foot, you can use it to make your paper stand up. - Elyse 

Giacomo was watching, and immediately applied this technique to his paper strips.

I also shared how we used this to create other standing shapes (e.g. triangle).  

“I think you made the triangle.” - Giacomo
​I did.  I used Maren's technique and made feet, and now I can put glue and it [will] stand up. - Elyse

Folding "accordions".

Adding glue to his "foot".

Giacomo folding his paper.

“No.  I made feet for the bridge.” - Saul

“A curl!” - Saul, 3.6 years

You can also curl your paper if you need any sort of loops or twists.  - Elyse
“Curl?  Can you add it to mine?” - Saul 
I can’t add it to yours, but you can make one. 
“I’m going to curl one too.  See? Curling." - Saul

We can work together. - Naama {offering to hold the pencil for Saul]
“That’s good.” - Saul 
Are you working together with Ima?  It looks like Giacomo is working with his mommy too. - Elyse 
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​The parents have been the best partners in our virtual classroom.  Everything that we do is possible due to collaboration with our parents.  Here, Saul and Giacomo were both working with their moms to develop their ideas and accomplish their end goal/idea (e.g. curls). With Naama's help [scaffolding], Saul was able to create a few curls.  A few minutes later, he picked up the pencil and resumed his work without any assistance (final photo on bottom right).

“I’m making another one. It becomes a little curl.  I made a curl! I’m going to use them for Gecko.  Gecko the frog is going to jump into the park and walk, walk, walk, walk.  You see. He’s happy because he has a nice big park, and he likes to hop in it.” - Saul

“Well, I just crumpled some paper [...]." - Giacomo, 4.2 years

“And then the bench is just for the humans to look at the giant gatto [cat]. That’s the bench.  For pretend people to sit.” - Giacomo

Did you crumple your paper to make the legs of the bench? 

“Well, I just crumpled some paper, like little pieces of paper and crumpled them into balls.  And then I used a little piece on the glue so that it would stay together.” - Giacomo 

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Saul's Park

“I’m adding a bridge.” - Saul 

"I made some circles for him to jump, in, in, in, in. [moving finger from tube to tube]. Then I’ll make so many things in the world. He [Gecko the frog] goes ribbit, ribbit, ribbit. I even made another tunnel and he can walk, walk, walk and then jump in the big, big, base. Did you ever go in a park?” - Saul

“So many things. I didn’t make a slide.  I forgot to make a slide. Oh, I made a slide here. It has one, two.” - Saul [pointing to the two ends]

“I’m adding some more things because I want it to be bigger, stronger, and with all of the things. I want to connect it. I’m thinking how to connect Ima’s park to my park. So we can be a big park.” - Saul

“This is a step bridge.” - Saul

“I didn’t know that there are so many things that were in the park. We might connect some” - Saul

Documenting Saul's work from home

Giacomo's Playground

“Mommy, I’m making a playground for Gecko (points to Saul on screen). It’s silly. At night he kind of hides.  Maybe he’s just hungry.  And in a few days I get him.” - Giacomo

“You go on there, then press the green button and then it goes ‘whee whee’.” - Giacomo​

"I’m just going to use glue so it’s strong [white and gold tube]. And when it dries up, that thing will get stuck. Because when glue is dried, it gets tight.” - Giacomo

“Oh, and I made a really fun thing.  Let me just attach it to my thing [pulling tape from the dispenser].” - Giacomo

"It’s tall because you look up and it’s so tall [white and gold tube].  And you look up and you can see the moon. Yeah. Where I cut it is the door.” - Giacomo 

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“So this is how it goes. You go here and then you run around as fast as you can. Then you walk up, and walk up, and walk up.  Then you can see down below [looks into his tube].” - Giacomo 

Sharing across the screens and playing games

Distance and communicating over zoom does not alter our desire to be with each other and share our work.  Saul and Giacomo seem to connect well despite our distance.  

“Can you show me?” - Saul 
What do you need me to show you? - Elyse
“I want Giacomo to show me.” - Saul 
“Yes, Sauly.” - Giacomo
“Can I see your park?” - Saul 
“Oh, that’s on my playground, that’s on my playground. That’s my things that…that’s the playground. There’s just a few things.” - Giacomo

“It looks like a fun park!  Want to see my park?” - Saul 
I do! Do you want to tell me more about it? - Elyse
“See, I want to show you it.” - Saul [trying to pull computer screen closer]
“See, these are so many things that Gecko can play with.  There’s a slide. So many things.  I glued them down.” - Saul 

"He’s [Gecko the frog] finding a place where he can hide. Gecko, he’s finding a place to hide.” - Saul

But I really want to keep working on my park so that Gecko can jump in and slide and then crawl in, and then go back to his hiding place.” - Saul

“He’s in his hiding place.  If someone comes to find him, he always gets away.” - Saul

Is he playing hide-n-seek? - Elyse
“Yeah, but when someone finds him and gives him a hug, he gets away.” - Saul

“You want to play hide-n-seek with me now?” - Saul 
We can try.  How can we do it over zoom?  How can we play hide-n-seek? - Elyse
“No, we need to find Gecko! Ready? Go! Find Gecko.” - Saul 
I cover my eyes and count. Ready or not Gecko, here we come! Is he in the tunnel? - Elyse
“No! I found him!” - Saul 
“Wanna do it again? 1..2…3… [counted to 11].” - Saul 
Ready or not Gecko, here Saully comes! - Elyse
“Can you find him?” - Saul 
Hmm… is he on your playground or Ima’s playground? - Elyse
“Ima’s playground!” - Saul 
So he’s on Ima’s.  I don’t think I’ve seen Ima’s playground yet, so I don’t know where to look. - Elyse
“He’s hiding in his place.  Under here. That is Gecko’s hiding place.  He’s watching TV.” - Saul 
No way!  There’s a TV on your playground? - Elyse
“No, but there’s a TV on Ima’s playground! He’s watching it because he does’t want to be on his own.” - Saul 

A few more process photos