One of the memorable stories from our Open House Pop-Up on Labour Day weekend – as retold by Aviva:

I arrive on one of my many visits outside to find adults and children of all ages exploring large pieces of fabric. Some are building landscapes, others are building forts. Some are standing nearby, taking it all in… looking for an entry point. I begin by lifting a large swath of yellow and shaking it out in the air. The wind lifts it higher and captures someone’s attention – I have found joy in the face of a child. I run with the connection – and the fabric – letting the light and the wind do the provoking. Soon I  am holding one end of the fabric and this young child is holding the other. We run through the clearing with a ribbon of yellow trailing behind us on the breeze. With each return trip we get closer to her mother and sister – and eventually envelop them with our billowing blanket of colour. Mom soon discovers that it is increasingly more joyful when the fabric comes unexpectedly from behind. She shares this “aha” moment with us. Her favourite part of the day is this unexpected delight.

Before long, a young boy leaves his fort-building and comes over to explore. Then an older girl comes to inquire, and the play shifts from an exploration of movement to an investigation of colour. The girl begins by standing under the moving fabric. I provoke her thinking by asking “what colour are the trees under the orange fabric?” “They are green and brown,” she answers. I am completely taken aback! I was sure the orange fabric would have tinted the landscape accordingly. I investigate, confirm her observation, then suggest “let’s try another one!” More children join our investigation. Our closer look leads to complex discussions about translucent and opaque colour concepts. Soon the girl is spinning herself round and round – wrapping her body in multiple layers of fabric. With each new fabric we hypothesize, test, re-test, confirm or discard our developing theories. We document our findings by taking photos from inside the fabrics. We laugh as we share our fascinating discoveries and push our thinking.  

Standing out there in the fresh air and sunshine, I remember thinking how these inquiries – both movement and colour – are such full-body, sensory experiences. So I am not surprised when I hear the older girl ask her mother, “when are we going to do this again?” As the glorious day comes to a close, I reach out my arms to the younger child who jumps up and hugs me tight. The tweet from her mom says it all:

Heather Read  @kindy_outside
Wonderful time at @ThinkinEd's Loose Parts Open House! My girls are the best kind of tired tonight :) Loved meeting so many from #ReggioPLC

Read more about our Open House inspired by the Group of Seven or click here to see more images. To share your own memories from this incredible day, please leave a comment or send us an email. 

This weekend we opened our house and our hearts to our fans, friends, and families. It’s not really our house (we’re a pop-up school!) but we rented a heritage home from the City of Vaughan and the beautiful setting was both the creative inspiration for the day as well as a source of unexpected delight. 

During the planning stage, the MacDonald Art House became our muse for creating provocations that would inspire play and wonder while honouring the artistic and cultural integrity of this glorious home and grounds. We researched the Group of Seven and made every effort to evoke connections to the collaborative, innovative style of this visionary group of Canadian artists. This meant choosing purposeful materials and making decisions that would minimize our impact on the environment.

We were thrilled with the unexpected delights of the indoor space – dark hardwood floors, sunlight pouring in through windows, cozy little rooms to explore and discover, a steep narrow staircase to negotiate – all hidden gems that were clearly appreciated by children and adults alike.

The outdoor space was absolutely stunning – dappled sunlight, charming trees, birds chirping, cicadas singing, a light breeze rustling the leaves and carrying giggles – all working in harmony to bring our senses to life and invite curiosity, wonder, inquiry and discovery. Upon reflection, I see the relationship espoused by Reggio Emilia inspired educators – between the environment and “beautiful stuff”. Creating a space to play, learn, and connect with others is as important as selecting beautiful, purposeful materials for inquiry. When we treat our materials and surroundings with respect, we raise our expectations and enrich our experiences.

We came together, we hugged the trees, we danced in the wind. And when it was all said and done we gently returned the snails to their homes and patiently unwrapped the trees. These are the lessons we’ve learned from thinking deeply about the Group of Seven: look closely, work together, tell stories, and most importantly, leave traces of yourself in ways that embrace the natural world. There are so many little stories still to be told about that wonder-filled day. Aviva and I will share ours here in the next few posts and we invite you to add yours, too.

>> see more images from Open House