Beauty and Surprise

08/08/2011

The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.
Rachel Carson, 1907-1964, American marine biologist, conservationist, writer

In Rusty Keeler's best selling Exchange book, Natural Playscapes: Creating Outdoor Play Environments for the Soul, Rusty Keeler shares these ideas on the visual environment of your program...

"Beauty and surprise should be the basis of every child's environment. Choose materials that are complex and rich. Install sculpture and art. Every direction a child looks should be filled with materials and structures that inspire curiosity and delight. Bright autumn leaves celebrate the season. The red of a ladybug stands out in the grass. The mud of a puddle makes a deep brown splash. Trees have faces. Boulders look like dinosaur eggs. The wooden playhouse is a magical cabin. With thoughtful care, you can add made layers of sights to discover. A hidden mirror may reflect a child's happy surprise. Marbles molded into sidewalks shine like jewels. the whirl of a sunflower face hints at universal patterns. The secrets are all here to be discovered. All we have to do is look. Notice. See?"

Earn $$$ for music
for your center

Temple University’s Boyer College of Music and Dance invites you to have parents complete a music development questionnaire.

www.earnmoney4music.org

Blood Borne Pathogen Training

Teach staff members about Blood Borne Pathogens and Universal Precautions. Includes facilitator manual, training DVD, and quiz.

See www.VIPTotsTraining.org.

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.