One day as we were playing outside, a neighbour dropped by carrying a large box that had delivered a new television to his home.  The gentleman asked the children if they would like the box and the children were thrilled with the idea.  After voicing their gratitude, they dragged the box onto the lawn and began to investigate its’ possibilites.  They hopped in it, tumbled out of it, hide under it and drag it around from one place to another. Over a short period of time, it became an airplane, a train and a boat.  It eventually ended up in the sandpit.  While in the sandpit, several children were keen for it to be a pirate ship.  With a little guided discussion by me (intentional teaching), the children came up with a plan.

The ship needed to be painted and decorated, and it needed a flag!

ME:  “Mmmm what colour do we want to paint it?”

CHILDREN:  “Blue!”  “No, Red!”

ME: “Mmm, so how do we decide?  How many would like blue, and how many would like red?  Oh, dear 8 children like red and 8 children like blue!  We have a problem here, what shall we do?

CHILD:  “I know, we could paint it red inside and blue outside!”

ME:  “That’s a good idea! What do you think guys?”

CHILDREN: “Yay!” (With a bit of hand-clapping).

So the children cheerfully joined forces to paint the ship.  The idea of painting the box red inside and blue on the outside was lost in the moment, but does that matter?  No of course not !  The children were happy, sharing a spirit of camaraderie and working as a team.

We had used some pirate stencils in our artwork a few days before creating our pirate ship and the children thought that they would be good for decorating the boat.

Some of the girls decided that the boat needed stars and glitter!  For sure!  Everything is better with a bit of glitter!

Then it was time to decide who was going to play in it first… and how many could fit in together… and who wasn’t allowed in and who was allowed in!

“No girls”, “No boys”, “You can, but not you”…!!!!

Oh, the social dilemmas that must be negotiated.

It is at these moments that I just love introducing Michael Rosen’s “OUR HOUSE” to the children.

The children have a favorite song that they love to share while in the boat.  It is a great little song that has the added benefit of the children experimenting with ‘rhyming words’ as an introduction to ‘phonics’.  Within the song the children have to find a word that rhymes with their age… eg.

“When I was one”  then they have to create the next line… like this…

“I sucked my thumb”, “I rolled on my tum'”… etc.

“When I was two”…

“I tied my shoe”, “My hair was blue”… etc.

And of course the sillier the better!!!

Following each rhyme they launch into…

“Going over the sea,” (create a wave with arm movement)

“I climbed aboard a pirate ship,” (move hands/arms in climbing motion)

“And the captain said to me,” (salute the captain)

“We’re going this way that way,” (rock body from side to side)

“Forwards and backwards,” (rock body  forwards and backwards)

“Over the deep blue sea” (create a wave with arm movement)

“A bowl of jelly, to fill my belly” (rub tummy in circular motion)

“And that’s the life for me” (clap hands three times in rhythm with the words)

So, next time a large box comes your way grab hold of it and explore  the possibilities!  Emergent curriculum at it’s best!

For more pirate fun check out these posts too!

PIRATES AHOY!

ICE PIRATE SHIPS