Videatives

These videos depict children actively engaged in thinking, learning and problem-solving, from infancy through Kindergarten age. On occasion they are supported by adults who offer prompts or questions, or provide materials. Sometimes they are acting independently. Consider the value of these activities for children in terms of their cognitive development. What connections can you make between what you see in the videos, and this week’s course materials?

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  Clay Slip

  A teacher poses an invitation for two infants to explore by placing a couple of small containers filled with clay slip nearby. Her provocation offers the infants an opportunity to learn about the features of this new material and to investigate how the clay slip behaves. Both infants approach the…

  Subjects: clay

  Ages: infants

  Tags: children-object cause-effect exploration environment closed captions

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  Toddler Plays the Faucet: Research or Ritual

  In this video, we see a 17 months old girl who, like many children, loves water play – pouring water into bottles, stirring water in the water table and splashing in the puddles outside. But what drives her interest in water? We might know “that” she is interested in water…

  Subjects: water

  Ages: ones

  Tags: science problem solving water faucet child-object closed captions

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  To Catch a Balloon

  Toddlers think about size, position, distance, and new uses for familiar objects in order to reach a helium balloon that has floated to the ceiling. They try standing on wooden blocks, first one, then two. Adding blocks to the stack presents a new problem. The taller the stack the less…

  Subjects: balloon

  Ages: twos

  Tags: children-object spatial relations invention imitation

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  Clever Teamwork Works

  A total of 11 children work together to retrieve a plastic soda bottle from the other side of a chain link fence. They use fingers, feet, a rubber hose, but most essentially, their minds. When one child inadvertently pops the bottle farther from reach, the children, undaunted, treat the garden…

  Subjects: outdoors

  Ages: fives

  Tags: detour collaboration spatial relations problem solving closed captions

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  To Make a Path of Stones

  The six children in this video have just finished creating a sculpture on the playground. They turn their attention to making a pathway that will lead to their sculpture. One boy begins to move a large patio block, then realizes that he can lift only one side. He asks, “Can…

  Subjects: blocks

  Ages: fives

  Tags: children-teacher teaching spatial relations collaboration outdoor play closed captions

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  Water Wheel Play - Where to Pour

  As you view this video, find what problems the two girls confront as they pour water on a wheel. Also notice any place where either girl is surprised by what happens or disappointed by what does not happen. In this way you will find the educational value of play, even…

  Subjects: water

  Ages: fives

  Tags: physics efficiency children-object environment teaching closed captions

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  Math Play Begins before Counting (videative)

  Mathematical thinking spans our life from the child’s first use of the word “more” to an adult trying to maximize retirement income. A child begins with some basic understanding of “this is more than that” and later the child can reason “this is all of that.” And it is a…

  Subjects: containers

  Ages: mixed

  Tags: math

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  Pumpkin Seeds and Checkers: A Math Conundrum

  Jensen and two friends count a large pile of pumpkin seeds by dividing it into three piles, individually counting, and adding the subtotals. Soon, this task becomes overwhelming. When faced with another counting task involving checkers, Jensen places two checkers on each plate so that she can count by twos….

  Subjects: counters

  Ages: fives

  Tags: children-teacher counting sets base ten math closed captions