I have a toddler friend right now that is a very curious little fellow. He wants to know how things work, what's inside stuff, what will happen if he does 'x' or 'y', and looks for teacher attention in whatever way he can get it.
Some of those creative expressions have been (at times) less than desirable...i.e. climbing on the toy shelf, dumping out the recycling bin, trying to open the toilet tank lid.
Although I appreciate his thirst for knowledge, I wanted to give him a different (and safer) outlet for getting my attention and for gathering knowledge about the world around him.
I thought about what he likes most...my attention and asking questions. So I made up a few 'interest cards' of things I know he likes....a smattering of tiny pictures to spur on conversation and curiosity of the mind. I laminated them (of course..because laminating stuff is one of my favorite teacher perks in the whole world), punched a hole in the top of each one and hooked them together with a metal ring. I then attached that to a retractable key card clip (I'm not sure what those things are really called...we call them zippy-do's).
Now when we are engaged in free play or large motor times, I wear the 'interest cards' clipped to my shirt. If my dear little friend is engaging in some exploration that I would rather he not, I call him over to take a look at what I have. He loves the extra focused time with his teacher and is engaged in thought about what he sees. I am able to ask questions and he can tell me what he knows. It has really helped mold his behavior patterns and our interactions towards the positive.
I think "zippy-do" is what that retractable thing should be called. It's perfect.
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