Welcome to the Play Based Learning Podcast. I'm your host, Kristen Arby Peterson, and maybe your new teacher, Bestie, that is here to hype you up, maybe give you a motivating kick in the pants, and teach you all I know about play and childhood. I am here to help you challenge old and outdated practices and inspire you to create a truly developmentally appropriate early childhood environment that fosters creativity, passion, Curiosity and joy in the children that you care for.
Let's set the stage for a lifelong love of learning. Let's get going. Okay, we are, I am so excited, because This is one of my favorite topics to talk about lately, and the perfect person that I thought I could bring on to talk about freeing the glue is Kayla Sosa of Little Lilac Preschool. So, I, I mean, you've been on the pod before. Yes! Welcome back! Thank you.
And um, yeah, we're going to talk about glue play and like what that even means, like what is glue play and why we should let children engage in this sort of play and exploration and um, just gonna be an organic conversation. So are you ready? Yes, absolutely. Okay, so when I say glue play, Like, what does that mean to you? To me, it actually means a lot of things, and I'll get to that in a second.
But I, I will have to say before I really dived in and explored and learned to follow the children and just thought outside the box, when someone would say glue play to me, I would think. Children with their whole bodies covered in glue, glue on the floor, glue dropping onto the carpet, glue all over the books, and glue in everyone's hair, like that's what I would think of when I thought of glue play. Now, if someone, if that happened in my space, that would be okay with me.
But that's not exactly what all glue play looks like. It's not what I don't, it's not what a glue play looked like when I first started embracing the idea of letting kids explore glue. And I don't think it has to be like that. No, you can definitely have. To help children build skills. So I think that's what I used to think of glue play as now. When I think of glue play, I think of children using creativity. I think of children innovating.
I think of children sitting at the table, very concentrated. I think of children's little tiny fingers squeezing so hard on that bottle. And those are the things I think of when I think of glue play. Yes, sometimes they wipe it on things. Sometimes we take it outside and if it gets all over them or whatever, it's washable, it comes out, that's okay. But honestly, that's not what the glue play, my first, you know, definition or what I first thought.
That's not what it looks like most of the time in my program. It doesn't, and I think that that's what the misconception is that people think, Oh my gosh, if we let children do whatever they want with the glue, Like, it is going to be complete, like, art area anarchy, And, like, everyone's going to be covered head to toe in glue. Which, I've never actually seen anybody cover their hair in glue. I've seen paint, but not glue. Have you seen hair, like, glue in hair before?
Like, Little, but I think you, I mean, maybe I know every kid is different and every, you know, every situation is different, but I find kids are, we, we don't give kids enough credit, I don't think. Cause it's fun to touch glue. And I remember doing that whole, like, put the glue on your hand, let it dry, pick it off with a paperclip type thing.
Like even when I was older, I remember us doing that like in middle school and whatever, like, it's just interesting to see how glue dries and how it changes. But kids, you know, kids do that. There are a lot of kids who don't actually like to touch the glue. It's too sticky for them. They want, they ask me for wipes because they don't want their fingers to be too sticky. Or I think kids realize there's a difference in like the viscosity of glue versus paint.
And I, I know a lot of my kids love to paint their arms, but I would not see those same kids painting their arms with glue because they know that it might not feel, you know, comfortable. And so I think that's another thing that I didn't. Give kids enough credit to know yes, there's always going to be exceptions and there's always going to be things that come into play that are, you know, sometimes we aren't expecting, but kids are, you know, they're like us.
And when they aren't comfortable with something, they, you know, they don't want to do it. And so I think that that's something I've started to learn when it comes to the idea of just giving them more access to the glue. And I do think that for anybody listening, that's like, Oh my goodness, like, I don't know what to do.
I really would just, you know, I started really small and I kind of It was, again, it was like all the other things I've learned in the process of changing my whole mentality and program over to the play based model and heavy outdoor model. Like, everything has been a process. Nothing is like you jump up the next day. Some people are like that, and that's great if you're one of those people. Like, awesome for you.
Like, I had to take things really slow and take it a little bit at a time, but I found that as I did that, it became easier. And I think that it's okay, the other thing too, is that it's okay to have some rule, not rules, but boundaries for doing this. Because I think that, again, we all know that kids actually thrive with boundaries. And so I think giving them freedom within the boundaries is where the magic happens. And that's what I've seen. Absolutely.
Okay, so tell me what some of your boundaries are. So I mean, I have an indoor space in my run. For those who may not know, I run a small preschool, a licensed preschool out of my home. So my basement has been converted into a preschool space. And then I also have an outdoor classroom in my backyard, my fenced yard, that is a learning area. So, um, the kids know that if they're going to play with the glue, like the squeeze white glue, it's going to be it.
down in the area that has the tile flooring where we have all our art supplies. Yep. And I'm pretty open with them if they can, you know, carry a marker or a crayon or other things, you know, if they need to write something down over by the kitchen or whatever, but they know that if they're going to use the white glue, I said, you can use this glue, however you want to use it, but it needs to stay in this space. Now, when we're outside, that same rule does not apply.
When I take white glue out and leave it out for them, or we have it out in our art. On the table outside, that doesn't matter because we're outside. If they want to squeeze it on the ground, if they want, you know, obviously if I saw them doing like, you know, maybe squeezing it onto our garden vegetables that we wanted to eat or something, even that, like, you could just wash it off, you know?
But like, outside, there's, there's not so many boundaries to that because So I do think if, you know, if that's something people are concerned about, it's very, I think it's absolutely fine and sometimes needed because if you have no boundary whatsoever, You know, you're setting yourself up for something to happen. That's going to make you, you know, super overwhelmed and then you'll never want to try it again. So I feel like give them a lot of freedom within that boundary area.
And you're still giving them like, I have the glue. Sitting out in it's in the squeeze bottles and I have it sitting out.
That's all the time Now there's other times that I present it in other ways Like I might put it in a bowl or a cup with paintbrushes like I like to Give them glue in different ways not just in a squeeze bottle, but the squeeze bottles of glue are always available In my art area, like in the little glue basket, they can go and take out one if they want, they can use it for whatever they want, and then they just put it back when they're done.
Yep. And I buy the big, like, gallon jugs of glue, and I just refill. Yes. My squeeze bottles over and over and over again. When they get gross, I just recycle them. Yep. So that's kind of how it's, how it's available in my learning area.
And then, like I said, outside, I'll just take the glue bottles outside and they can, you know, use them for whatever if they want to do crafts outside or glue some leaves on to, on to paper or, you know, put some glue on a log and see what happens, you know, that kind of thing. Then they can do that outside. Okay. Do you have any very memorable glue story moments?
Uh, actually, there was just one, a couple, like, within the last couple weeks, so, I'm sure some of you have probably seen that, I think it's Crayola, and probably some other glue brand, uh, art brands, they carry the colored glue, which, FYI, you can make that yourself, but, Absolutely.
I have had some, I had some on hand, and so, I just put it out, I was like, oh, I found it in an old tote in the back of my closet, and I was like, I'm trying not to be that teacher who hoards the supplies, you know, like. If I have the supplies, I want to use them. So I was like, I'll just throw this out in here and see what happens. And I kind of just waited to see what they would, who would figure out there was colored glue in there first and like what they would do with it.
And it took them actually like a couple of days to figure out there was some new glue in that basket. And they found it. And a couple of kids were like, Ooh, this colored glue. And they were all excited. And they took it to the table and got out cardboard. Cause that's like our favorite supply. And I love giving kids supplies.
Side note, giving kids cardboard with glue because cardboard is so thick that even if they put a ton of glue on that, It is going to, you know, it's not gonna fall apart like paper and of course if they want to put it on paper that's fine, but if you're just starting out, I highly recommend try some cardboard because it's so sturdy. So anyway, I had a couple kids grab some of the colored glue and go over and they started squeezing it. Onto the cardboard and watching and seeing what would happen.
And it was the, it wasn't even the first day. I don't think it was maybe the second day they came back and another child, some of my kids come every day. And so it was one of the kids that came the day before, came back again and was back to the glue again, straight to the colored glue.
And I noticed she went over to our art area where I have a little container that has like popsicle sticks and stuff in it and she got a popsicle stick so she got a popsicle stick first you notice she doesn't want to touch it but she went and she started just like making new ones. Like, she realized it was colored, and so she wanted to kind of explore it like paint. So she started running her little stick through the paint on her cardboard to see what would happen.
And what do you know, she accidentally mixed a couple of the colors together. And because the glue just happened to be primary color, she thought she made green on her paper. And she was like, she was like shocked, and I could see her face, like the look on her face.
That oh my word what just happened here and she came over and running look look come and see and she dragged me over there to show me Look, I made green and some of the other kids came gathering around and they were like some of them So this is I have a mixed age group So I have kids from ages three to even some that are six like my child So everybody gathered around and some of them are like, oh you make green because you mix these two colors They already knew the colors
mixed together make a new color But then there were some other kids who didn't know that and they were like, oh and then you know The conversation just was organically unfolding as these kids were gathered around this girl who figured out That you know yellow and blue makes green. Oh my gosh. She discovered it through being able to just squeeze that glue which has literally nothing to do with glue.
But everything to do with her discovering something and being curious and you know not only was she discovering that but she was you know working on the fine motor. And just, you know, the, I, the, I am solving in our tools, creative, exactly, collaborating with her friends and then coming and telling me, look, I discovered this cool thing. And then we got to have a conversation about it. And then I went to the, my classroom library. Cause it's right downstairs next to where the kids are.
And I pulled a bunch of books out about colors and I sat them out for the kids so they could look at them. And it was just really cool. And that's, you know, all of that just came out of one little experience of letting them. Explore the glue not saying, Oh, you can't put that there or we're going to paste this penguin to this iceberg, like just letting them have free access to do what they want to do with the glue.
And, and that's the kind of beautiful things that I see happening fairly regularly, you know, with just giving them that freedom to choose. Do you have that book, Little Blue and Little Yellow? Yes, I love that book. Yes, okay, and there's also a book, there's a children's book. I think it's called Free the Glue. Oh, really? And it's about a little, a little kid who is in school and he uses all the glue and all the materials, but then like his body gets stuck to it as well.
And so then like, he has to, um, his parents have to come and get him. And like, Pull him out of, like, he's, like, full of, like, tissue paper and, like, crinkle paper and tape and all these things and then, like, he gets stuck to the wall at home. Like, it's just, it's such a cute book, but it's really all about being creative and giving children the, the autonomy to, to create with glue. It's a great book. Children's book.
Right. And I think, like, I have to admit, like, I was one of those dot, dot, dot, not a lot teachers. Like, for years, I was. I had that little worksheet with the glue bottle on the top corner that had the little dots on it. Uh huh. And we would practice doing the dotting and everything. And, well, I'm not saying that, you know, I, like, harmed any children by doing that worksheet, but also. The kids will learn to do that, even if they're given free access to the glue without the worksheet.
Like, they know, okay, I'm gonna squeeze this and I'm gonna see how much is coming out. Oh, I'm trying to glue a project, that's too much glue. I can't, it won't stay because there's too much dripping off the side. You know, like, kids will learn. The book is called Too Much Glue. Oh, Too Much Glue. Oh, I have heard of that book. Yes! Oh my goodness.
Okay, so tell me what are some of your favorite like glue supplies that I know you mentioned cardboard and color glue and making your own colored glue. You can also make your own glitter glue. Exactly. Um, tell me like what are some of your other faves that you love to put out for children to utilize with glue? Okay, before I do, I will say because I know you know, but maybe people listening don't know how to make your own.
Blue colored paint or color glue is just to put, I honestly, I've tried it with different ones, just regular temper paint that you have. Or I know some people that eat by the bio color paint from discount school supply, even, I think somebody I know tried liquid watercolors once, um, whatever you have put, you know, put it in the paint bottle or the paint. You know, a little squeeze bottle and shake it up. I usually make sure my thing only has like half to two thirds of glue in it.
So it shakes up a little easier, but you can make your own colors that way. And, um, it's a little bit, you know, more cost effective. And like you just said, with the glitter, you can put your own in and then, you know, shake it up and it will, it will do, or you can put it in a bowl. Like if you buy it in the big thing. So that's another thing I like to offer with glue, honestly, are like little dishes and paint brushes. Because some kids really love, even though, you know.
Yes, it's good for their fingers to squeeze the bottle. Some kids just like that experience of like brushing a brush against something. And, um, I like to present glue sometimes in little dishes or like, so you could make your own, just put it in a little dish, drop in some paint and stir it up and then just put paint brushes out and let them paint cardboard or let them paint recycled things or let them paint, you know, you know, paint things, anything that can be washable.
Like, I randomly have the, those people who maybe follow me on social media know that I have a random, um, garden, um, owl deterrent thing that's, you know, supposed to deter rabbits from eating my garden, which was a complete and utter fail. And so because of that, we call it Trash Owl. Cause it was.
Trash and it did not do its job And my kids love to paint that thing with paint, but it's washable It's like a plastic owl And so even if you have something anything like that, like even if there's layers of glue on it eventually, it will either wash off or Pull it off because it's fun to peel off glue that's dried. Um, so anything like that, get creative and see, you know, what you can, you can do with that. But so, yeah, I would say saucers, bowls, paintbrushes, cardboard.
And the other thing I really love to do with it doesn't, it almost sounds like when, okay, when we say free the glue, we think just like rivers of glue running. But I think. You know, freeing the glue doesn't have to look like rivers of glue. It can just mean that the access is free and that what you're providing along with the glue is engaging and inviting to the children so that they want to use the glue and practice that skill.
So I like to set out like a ton of different collage materials, like whatever I have. I literally just go into my, I have a tote that's in my storage that I just throw stuff in, like after holidays, I'll buy those packs of like pom poms Um, the things that come in the seasonal colors that they'll have like pom poms and eyeballs and Pipe cleaners and stuff.
And I'll just pull out, you know, random ones and put them in a, in a big, I like those like chip serving things from like the dollar tree, cause you can put a lot of supplies or like use those recycled boxes that all the Melissa and Doug toys ever come in, put a bunch of stuff in, um, you know, cut up colored paper, use the paint chip. Thingies from the store that are free tissue paper.
Um, you know, whatever collage materials you have, newspaper, throw it in there and just let them glue whatever they want. Um, I love doing that. And I find that that's always one of my favorite. Like finished things when they, when they do something and they're proud of it and want to hang it up is like when they took a bunch of just collage materials. and glue and glued whatever they wanted onto something. Um, and I, can I tell you something that somebody did for in my classroom once?
And we actually had it hanging on the ceiling for many years afterwards. They emptied a whole bottle of glue into the bottom of milk jug and then like put a whole bunch of pony beads inside the milk jug. In the glue. And then they took a piece of construction paper. It was like a red piece of construction paper, like folded it up and shoved it in the top of the glue bottle or the gallon jug, the milk jug. And that was their creation. And then they asked, can we hang that from the ceiling?
I was like, absolutely we can. So we did. And that milk jug lived on the ceiling, hanging from the ceiling for, I would say six or seven years. I love that. I've actually, I have to say, I've not tried pony beads with glue and that sounds amazing. Yes! I'm gonna try that. You know how they also have those really big, the perler beads, you know, that you're supposed to iron with? They make like gigantic ones of those, or like really big pony beads.
Because I've also found that when you have, when you look at like, The way that children play through play schemas, you can see that anything that's going to fulfill, like put out empty lids, like recycled lids from all your juice and your mayonnaise and whatever after you clean them out. And the kids will just squeeze the glue into them to fill them up because they want to fill that little space.
And so I just think it's so cool when you can give things like egg cartons, anything that has like a unique, Space where the glue can fall inside or behind or under or where it can fill something up I found that is super super satisfying for the kids to like squeeze and I think the other thing that I also It kind of helped me think through the free the glue as I was always picturing free The glue is like literally taking a cup of water and just dumping it out Yeah, but
if they're squeezing it out of bottles unless you're taking the whole lid off. It doesn't come out that fast And I actually have kids come to me who are like, this won't come out, it's not, and it's because the bottle's like half gone. There's still glue in it, but they are having a hard time waiting for that glue to like, fall to the bottom.
And so I'll just show them, okay, hold it here for a little bit and I'll refill them when they get like really low, but that's part of the process of them learning to strengthen those little hands and learning that, you know, the glue has to have a downward so that it can slide out of the top of the bottle, why might that be? You know? And so I just think those, those, those things are really, really fun.
Um, one of the other really, really awesome things I love to do with glue is to go to the Goodwill. Yeah, you know, I love that and buy like old Jenga games, old checker games, puzzle piece, puzzles, and take a lot of the, all of those type of supplies and set them out as, as like an invitation with glue.
My kids spent a whole week on that project and I, and some of them ended up with the most, you know, Coolest things I have ever seen in my whole program like some of them, you know Wanted to do it for a couple days like Scrabble tiles, you know And they wanted to glue their names in order But one of my kids spent a whole week and made a cardboard thing too big that we had to do like three add ons On the back with duct tape to hold it together.
And he built like a whole house on top of it by gluing all the little Jenga pieces together, putting the little things on top. He took the puzzle pieces and lined them up straight, like almost like the edge of a castle. And, um, the little checker and chess pieces, like people outside the front. Um, and it was really quite amazing, but I love to use the goodwill to get like, like those random wooden pieces or like game pieces, kids love that. And that's.
Like, again, like when I offered them the Scrabble tiles as part of that, they were talking about the letters. They were trying to spell their names. They were trying to spell their mom and dad's names, their dog's names. Like, kids are soaking all that up. They're also learning other things along with learning the skills that come along with using the glue.
So I just think, if it can be glued together and it's not going to harm it, you know, permanently or something that I, you know, I don't want it to be destroyed. If it can be glued, then Yes, absolutely. Okay. I had two thoughts. One, have you used, have you ever added scent to your glue? I have, yes. It's really fun. Okay. What, like, what, where do you find your scent? What do you use? I think I, in the past I used, I think I used essential oils.
I got a little, not worried, but I just, I don't wanna make, make any kids like. Be sensitive to that, but I have done now more recently where we just incorporate fresh herbs and like stuff from the garden and they can pound it in the mortar and pestle that we have outside, or we can have those inside too. And then they can kind of mix it into their glue if they want for the kids that want to do it. And then you can smell the actual herbs mixed in with the glue. So, cause we have a garden.
And so. The kids, I have a whole area in my garden that's just, um, herbs and small flowers and stuff that the kids know that they can use for potions or for sensory play or for art. Yeah, I plant a ton of that stuff with the sole intention that they are going to take it and use it for stuff like that. Um, so that's a really fun way and it's, it's fresh and I found that, you know, I haven't had any kids that have had, you know, any aversion and I let them choose.
So if that's, if they don't particularly like the scent of peppermint, then they don't have to put that in there. Absolutely. They'd rather have lavender or they'd rather leave it with nothing. That's fine. So yeah, we've used, um, like. For people who make like chapstick or candles, you can buy like scent, like cotton candy or root beer or things like that. I mean, there's like hundreds of scents that you can buy. I never thought of that.
So then we just like, we'll make cotton candy scented glue or grape scented glue or apple or fresh cut grass scented glue. And it's just fun to see like what they think it smells like, because a lot of times it's not even close to what it actually is supposed to smell like. Um, so we have found that that's. Okay, the other thing I thought of, do you use any um, other sorts of glue? So we've talked about just like, you know, your white Elmer's glue and adding things to that.
What other types of glue do you let children explore in your program? Okay, yes. Before I say that, I will say I think if If you are looking to try and you don't want like you just know you want them to have the experience of glue and maybe you don't want to spend as much money. I will say something that everybody don't hate me forever.
But I think you can buy other brands that are not Elmer's and especially if they come in like the like sometimes I'll buy the big gallon from discount school supply. Especially when they have like if there's a free shipping or something like that because glue is heavy. Um, and so I'll buy that and that might be what I offer them outside when I know that half of it's just going to end up on the ground or like it's going to get rained on.
Where if we're doing like a project like what I said with the wood pieces and things that are more heavy and I know that I really want them to be able to stick more, I'll give them the elm. I mean that's what I have inside. But I don't think you have to box yourself in to think, you know, there's no, I'm not saying there's one glue that's superior to other glues. Yeah. You know, whatever you have, I think that's good.
We also use, obviously, glue sticks is one thing, and I, again, am outside of the norm, and I was super excited about the scented glue sticks that everybody located. Um, yes, we have them in my program. The kids love them. Basically, no one's ever eaten any. Um, I, I understand maybe that might be, you know, for some kids and then you take that into consideration for sure, but, um, that's never happened in my program.
So we have glue sticks and those are always out and available for them as well. Another thing that we've been exploring on the very low heat. Yes, yes, which is really fun to explore and usually when I do use those I don't have them out like just anybody can use them anytime. Yeah, it would be something that I would put I've put out and if I there's so most things I have enough for all my kids, which is a maximum of eight. Yeah, because I'm a solo provider, but if I was going to provide it.
Yeah. Something like that. I would probably not provide eight. I would provide, you know, two or three, and then I would be there. Yeah. And if they wanted to come participate, I would set it out and they could come and explore it. I would let them do it, but I would be there because I would, even though it's a low heat and most of those do not, you know, burn children, they won't burn children. That's why they're safe for younger kids. I would still be supervising something like that.
Absolutely. And they do make cold, cold glue guns too. So you can get ones that aren't heated at all. But it's an option. Yeah. So we have, we have explored that as well. Um, sometimes if I have a group of kids that wants to do something like they want to do a project and they, and we just can't get it to stick even with the Elmer's like holding it on there, whatever. Um, I might get it out and ask, do you want, do you want to try this? Cause it's their project.
I'm not just going to be like, Oh, I'm going to do this to your project. Like I'll ask them, do you want to try a different type of glue? And then they'll know that that's the type of glue that we can use when we're all using it together. But we've definitely used that on occasion as well. Just when they're trying to, I, one time we did some, some projects. I had gotten a bunch of somebody giving me a bunch of like fake flowers.
Yeah. And so the way they have those stems on the back, like, even if you take them out, they're just, they're really, they're plastic. They don't, it just takes a lot of glue and a lot of time for them to stick. And some of the kids wanted to make like, put them on cardboard or something to make a frame and it just wouldn't stick. And so we got out the, the little glue guns and, you know, they just needed what they needed and then they were done.
They didn't, you know, want to necessarily need to be there all day with it. They just, Wanted to finish that project and they wanted, they had an idea and they wanted to see it come to fruition. So we do explore that also. And I like to also thin down the glue, like dump a bunch of water in it and thin it way down. And it's almost like paint, like it'll still be sticky, but that's another way that I like to offer it to almost, it almost looks like oobleck when you do it that way.
And some kids will hate it because they won't like the consistency and that's okay. But, um, that's, I mean, it's still technically white glue, but you're offering it, like I said, in a different format than what kids might be used to. And some kids really enjoy that. And I always try to offer, um, paint brushes or like, like I said earlier, like large popsicle sticks or something that they can use to stir a spoon in case they don't want to touch it.
And I think it's okay that they don't want to touch it. You know, we don't, just because you're freeing the glue doesn't mean First of all, that every kid's going to want to do that. And secondly, that if they do, they want to touch it. So I try to be supportive of every child and what they're going to be wanting to do with the glue. I also think that like freeing the glue doesn't mean that every child is going to squeeze out a whole entire bottle of glue every single day.
Like, you know, once they've done it once, they're probably, you know, maybe probably not going to do it again because it's a lot of work to squeeze all of the glue out of a bottle. So, I think that's a misconception about glue play. If we just let them go to town, like, it's going to all be gone within a week and then we don't have any glue for the rest of the year. I get that.
And I think coming from, you know, we've both been in a larger, like, more traditional classroom setting before, so we know that there's classrooms and people out there listening who have 24 kids, and they have to have supplies for all those kids, so my piece of advice for that would be You, you, you, I, if it were me, I would not offer it to everybody at the same exact time, you know, like.
You know, have it as an option during your free play time or um, if you do want to offer it to all kids You know, can you take it outside and then you know, let them have every child, you know Anyway, yes, and some may not want to do it. And so I think that's one way to Because, like, again, when I go back to my very first perceptions of Free the Glue, it was exactly what you said, that every kid's going to glue out, squeeze out one bottle of glue on the daily, and it's going to be everywhere.
Which, I have not found that to be true in my program. Even for last week, I was mentioning, um, the child that discovered the colors would, would mix. So, I remember clearly, because this child had been at the glue all week, And it was like Wednesday. So we only run four days a week after that day of discovering the glue was mixed, that she, she made a color the next day. She didn't play with the glue at all. And I remember it.
The reason I remember that is because I was like, Oh, I wonder if she's going to come back and mix more glue today. Like my brain was thinking, because that was such an amazing, exciting moment. Everybody came over and everybody was talking and I was like, look at them learning, and I was like, they're so awesome. The next day, crickets. Oh my gosh, isn't it funny? So it's because you know, they got what they wanted outta that out, what they needed outta that situation. And that was it.
Like at the time, that was the big discovery. Or you know, maybe not, maybe a friend asked her to play something else and she was more interested in that or nothing had changed. The glue was still out the same way. It's out every day. Nothing was different like it was available. Crickets. So I just think if we learn to trust, it's really hard. I know it is because I still feel that way about some things in my program.
Not just glue, but like, especially when it continues to go on and on for like multiple days at a time. But I just have to remind myself, once you see the result of giving child a child freedom, yeah, in something, let's not even say glue, but whatever it is, and you see the process from the beginning of that, in that. period of interest to when they decide they don't need that anymore.
If you let that play out and you see it through a few times, it will help you not to be as, like, anxious about that. At least that's what it did for me because I can remember, okay, I remember so and so was really interested in painting on the easel and that lasted like two weeks and then that, then it was done. Um, so like, not that I'm hoping they're gonna, you know, be done with whatever, but. It just reminds me that it's not going to be forever. Like it really can be a really long time.
Like last year, one of the longest things, and this is not related to glue, but I had a student who was just obsessed with crushing sidewalk talks in the mortar and pestle outside in the garden. And I. Do not exaggerate when I think he did it every single day all of last school year. Oh, and that child is with me again. Not, not, that's not the all he did, but like he would do it at least at some point almost every single day, and he was with me all day, all days of the week. Oh my goodness.
This year? I'll see him do it sometimes, but he's not, it's not something he's going back to occasionally, but he's does other things now. And again, not that that's bad, but I remember thinking, wow, how long is this going to go on? So, I mean, like, I'm not saying that means you're going to have a kid squeeze out a bottle of glue for an entire school year. But the whole point is if we let kids. You know explore the things that are calling to them.
Yeah, there will be a time where Something else will call to them and they'll have gotten what they needed out of that experience and that I think is It is a matter of us learning to trust them and it is hard, it is hard because it's not how society trains us all to think. We think kids should trust us because we're the adults but really we need to trust them and that's really hard because we're trying to flip the script. Yeah. And so I think, You know, trust the kids.
I, I just urge people to give it a try. Start small. One project that I did once that was really easier to do is just cut everybody like a small ish piece of cardboard. Like, you know, like you would have construction paper. Use just, use recycled stuff that you already have. Yep. And I gave every, I just set them out so everybody, there was enough for everybody to have one.
Yeah. And put out some glue and some whatever scraps you have, literally go grab some paper off your shelf and chop it on the paper cutter and dig out the dusty box of pom poms from the back of your thing that you like forgot was back there. Yeah. Like literally just get that stuff out and put it out and then see what happens. Like, just start there, and, and as you, you know, give yourself that freedom to see what happens, and once you see the magic, then you, you can't unsee. You can.
You can never unsee. I love that so much. Oh my gosh, okay. Tell people this is a phenomenal conversation. I'm going to really quick tell people about a cool opportunity and then I'm going to have, I'm going to let you, um, tell people about something you're providing and where they can find you. So, um, I am putting on a free the glue workshop and you can find the information down in the show notes. It is going to be live on Zoom, but you can get the recording.
And if you're listening to this after it's already taken place, then you can get the on demand training, but it's all things free, the glue, there's a free, the glue ebook that comes along with it, with all the gluey ideas. Um, and then we also have a glue sponsorship, Kristen, RB Peterson and company, where if you are not able to free the glue in your program because of limited supplies, or because of, um, maybe admin is like, you know, dot, dot, not a lot.
Um, I do a sponsorship so people can get their name in the drawing for that. We draw once a month and then I send your program. It's over 200 and some dollars worth of glue stuff so that you can allow children to free the glue in your program. All I ask for is pictures in return. So, um, those are some great opportunities that you can take advantage of. And Kayla, tell us what, what you've got going on. Yes, I will.
And I do, I do send people messages and tell them to apply to your glue scholarship. Oh, good. It's awesome. And I think people, if you start thinking about like, if you can paint with it, you can probably do glue with it. Yes. I forgot to say. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I honestly just, just give it a try. But yeah, I, my, I am most active and like, Excited to find you over on Instagram. I'm little lilac preschool. I also have a website little lilac preschool.
com And then I will um give kristin the link so she can put it in the show notes, but I just have a quick little Um pdf for you with a kind of a summary of this conversation and made a couple little ideas for you to for glue Um, because you know when kristin asked if I wanted to talk about free the glue I was like what? Obviously, I want to talk about Free the Glue. You were like the first person I thought of. I was like, we need help. So, I'm all for it. I hope, I will be at Kristen's.
I'm signing up for the training, so I hope everybody else will too. And, um, yeah, come and talk to me about Free the Glue anytime too. Awesome. Okay, thank you so much. Thank you for being here. Thanks for the work that you're doing with young children everywhere. I appreciate you and everything you're doing. Always awesome. Thanks, Kristen. Bye. If you liked what you heard today, share this podcast with your coworkers, admin, or maybe even your partner.
And I love getting five star reviews so more people can embrace play. Hit follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode. Or connect with me on Instagram or my website, KristenRBPeterson. com. Until next time.