Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/preschoolers-as-city-planners/5021270/
BOX:The November air was crisp, and the children’s excitement was palpable. Seven four year olds, two teachers, and two parents were playing a game. Each child took a turn leading the group anywhere they wanted within a large public space in downtown Boulder, Colorado. The children had completed an exploration of a turtle sculpture outside the Boulder Public Library. They had also visited a playground, a bridge, a creek bank filled with ducks, and the city Municipal Building. The children anxiously began to follow their new leader, Finn, wondering where he would stop. Suddenly, he picked up a stick and crouched down on a wide dirt path. “I want to stop here,” he exclaimed, “and do some drawing.” The children searched for their own sticks and began to draw shapes and write their names in the dirt. “Remarkable,” the adults commented to each other. After such a lovely journey, the children ended, deciding to leave their marks on the space.
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This was the first in a series of field trips we took to explore the Boulder Civic Area with a class of prekindergarten children, and subsequent experiences only proved to deepen their appreciation for the richness of this neighborhood.
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