Think of 'Steptoe and Son's' yard and it could describe the state of my back garden at the moment. If you were brave enough to venture out there you would find old timbers with rusty nails, a bathtub, bits of tiles, pipes, bricks, and goodness knows what else. And while my partner is probably cringing at the thought of my DIY enthusiasm on renovating the bathroom, my children, and half the neighbourhood's children, are in their element making things from all the junk.
For the past few weeks they have been making go-karts and other rickety vehicles, but when they came home from school the other day and discovered a bathtub in the garden their play adopted a sailing and Robinson Crusoe theme. What is evident within these play themes is that children bring objects together as they play, creating new usage as a result of the combination - what is theoretically known as combinatorial flexibility.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here