I have a question. Two questions, actually.

[conuly]

1. The other day, I watched Evangeline carefully set out two cups and a bowl, fill the bowl by trekking back and forth to the bathroom with the cups, and then spend a happy half an hour scooping water back into the cups and pouring from one cup to the other.

Now, I know that this is a fine learning activity. It builds fine motor skills (and some life skills as well), it teaches an intuitive grasp of measurement and basic physics, you learn a lot by pouring water back and forth. And so I let her do it. (She cleaned up afterwards, another learning activity.)

But the question is - I know how useful this is for her development, but how the heck does she know it? Who told her? Children the world over enjoy pouring water from one cup to another, but who the heck tells them it's a good idea? HOW DO THEY KNOW THEY SHOULD DO THIS?

2. Evangeline and I talk about nutrition sometimes when we eat our lunch. I've tried to impress upon her the simple rule that we should eat a variety of colors in our daily diet. (Natural colors, thanks!) This is a rule that's easy for even very young children to grasp, and you can express it in a fairly poetic way, too.

I know that a variety of foods is good for my body. Does the same hold true for the compost? Like, if I compost a little bit of mango and a bit of eggshells and a bit of coffee grounds and a bit of wilted lettuce, is it going to make richer dirt (and therefore healthier, more nutritious fruits and vegetables) than if my compost is made primarily of, say, orange and banana peels?

Comments

[leora.livejournal.com]

Why does she find it fun? Perhaps she finds it fun because she's curious what will happen or because she sees adults doing it or because she likes being good at pouring. Any of these reasons would lead her to like to do an activity that is good for her.

[conuly]

I don't think she's ever seen an adult thoughtfully pouring water from one container to another and back again for half an hour. That'd be pretty unusual.

[leora.livejournal.com]

No, but she's probably seen adults pouring liquids from one thing to another.

Play mimics, but it doesn't mimic exactly. This is why some kids might make mud pies and then pretend to eat them to mimic cooking and eating rather than actually eating them. But they've likely seen adults making real food and possibly real pies.