Imagination & G-Paws Big, Big Door

by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Donavyn playing with poker chips and making G-Paws big door.

"G-Paw has big, big doors." Said the boy who loves doors of all sorts.

Besides frequent discussions about doors, daily practice in opening and closing doors, making up silly songs about things that open, and drawing doors using various art materials, we have now added building doors with interesting manipulatives.

(For those who don't know about manipulatives, they are collections of junk or toys that can be used in play or learning - blocks, empty thread spools, lids, and so on.)

Donavyn pushing the button to open the garage door.

Mr. D recently had a day where he was quite creative about making G-Paws big, big door (garage door).

First, he wanted to make the door from plastic card chips (great manipulatives - they used to be tires during our play sessions - see how they transform?).

Do notice the white chips. They are the garage door opener switch. If you push those buttons, you have to make "Ehrrrrrrrrrrr" sounds as the door rolls up.

Next, Mr. D wanted to use magnetic letters on the refrigerator to make, yes, you guessed it, G-Paws big, big door.

Donavyn pushing the tiny switch button on the letters to open the garage door.

Again, buttons for controlling the opening and closing of the door were included. As an extra special treat, some of the letters had tiny little light switch looking shapes on them - perfect for button controls! Don't forget to say "Ehrrrrrrrrr" as the door opens.

We eventually moved on to using paint daubers (also known as Bingo daubers) to make doors and people. As long as doors and doorknobs were included, we were happy campers.

Isn't imagination a wonderful thing?


What creative ways have you seen children using their imagination? You might just have the next idea I need!