We are influencing our own play. Yes!

Periodically, Opal School’s community of staff, parents, and children come together. Recently, the community tended to its outdoor space as the sun came out of hibernation.  The children moved like a team over mounds of dirt and bark chips, fully engaged in their work.

Inspired by the beauty of this moment, I stopped and pulled out my camera. I was curious what meaning this experience had for these children, so I asked them. They shared how embodying the role of the playground’s caretaker was not just changing the landscape of our little piece of earth, but also their understanding of themselves and their role as citizen world-makers.

How are children in your school setting working together to “influence their own play”?