Spontaneous Creativity - Natural Learning With Snakes & Ladders

Today DS6 decided he wanted to make a snakes and ladders game after being inspired by our morning maths activity. It was completely his idea. We didn't have any large cardboard so he improvised by sticky taping A4 bits of paper together.

He spent nearly 2 hours making this game and his goal was to make it to 1000. He made it to 740 before running out of room. God forbid anyone land on that snake at 739!

I loved watching his spontaneous creativity. I love that he thought of the idea himself. I love that when presented with an obstacle (no cardboard) that he had to think of a solution. I also love that he gathered his siblings once he had finished to join together to play his creation.

As I watched I found it interesting that he persisted for nearly 2 hours until he finished his project. There is no way in the world we could do 'formal schoolwork' for 2 hours without a meltdown. It was like he had the motivation and desire to see his task to completion because he had a vision for it. He knew exactly what it was that he wanted to make. He had the time, space and freedom to dream it up and create it. It was his own.

It's moments like this that I see where the idea behind natural learning comes from. I wonder whether this type of spontaneous creativity happens everyday if given no structure at all? Or does more classical learning provide the inspiration for natural learning and teach new ways of exploring the world? I'm starting to see that the two can work together - just as I am witnessing in my own homeschooling experience.

It has made me consider what kind of homeschooler I am. At this stage I see myself as a classical homeschooler that offers plenty of opportunity for natural learning to occur. The two are not mutually exclusive in our household and we seem to have a good balance which works for my children.

So here is my precious DS6 with his snakes and ladders creation.

I am such a proud homeschooling mum!

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