Using Open-Ended Materials

“To a young child, the world is full of materials to touch, discover and explore. To find, collect, sort and use materials is to embark on a special kind of adventure. For adults, gathering materials means rediscovering the richness and beauty in natural, unexpected and recyclable objects that are all around us, but not often noticed.

 

One way to rediscover our own creative impulses is to see possibilities in materials. Children possess a natural openness to the potential of materials.

When adults become aware of this process, they find ways to watch and listen to children. Children and adults become collaborators as they discover, collect, sort, arrange, experiment, create, construct and think with materials. The goal is to allow children to become fluent with materials – as if materials were a language.”

– Topal, C. and Gandini, L. Beautiful Stuff! Learning with Found Materials.
Introductory page. 1999. Davis Publications: Worchester, Massachusetts.

 

Cadwell, L. (2002). Bringing learning to life: the reggio approach to early childhood education. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Cadwell, L. (1997). Bringing reggio emilia home: an innovative approach to early childhood education. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Curtis D & Carter M.(2003). Designs for living and learning.MN:  Redleaf Press.

Gandini, L., Hill, L., Cadwell, L. and Schwall, C., Eds. (2005). In the spirit of the studio: learning from the atelier of reggio emilia. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Kolbe, Ursula.  Rapunzel’s supermarket: all about young children and their art, 2nd ed. (2007).  Australia: Peppionot Press.

Pelo Ann. (2007).The language of art; reggio inspired studio practices. MN: Redleaf Press.

Smith,D. and Goldhaber, J. (2004). Poking, pinching and pretending: documenting toddlers’ explorations with clay. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.

Tompson Susan. (2005). Children as illustrators. Australia: Peppionot Press.

Topal, Carol & Gandini, Leila. (1995). Beautiful stuff! Learning with found materials. MA: Davis Publications.

http://www.redleafpress.org/showproducts.cfm?Step=1&FullCat=38

http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/poptopics/reggio/biblioed.html