Let's make a mud hole

Ben's FAVORITE thing to do at school is to make a mud pit or a mud hole (FYI - these terms are interchangeable for the most part). Every day, Ben visits Teacher Konne briefly to find his green nametag, then heads straight outside to make a mud pit. The sand and water area is really cool - it has a built in faucet that has a wood ramp built around it and that perfectly drips the water out. Ben can sometimes be persuaded  to do some outdoor art - because its right by the mud pit area. But he is often out there for a good hour before going in search of something else to do. This is one of the reasons why I really like the "child directed"/free play/developmental nature of our preschool. I feel like they get what they need and that they have the ability to really delve deep into something if they want to, without being moved onto other things after 15 minutes or so, just because the whole group is doing the same thing. I used to worry that maybe Ben wouldn't make it around to all the areas in the school, but he does get there, just on his own terms. This format is good for Lily too, as she gets a chance to run around and do all kinds of things without feeling stuck on one thing for too long. They are learning so much at school (without really knowing it!) and having a great time too.