Not just play - Where are our chairs?

Every day the children eat their snacks at the snack table, sitting on their labeled chairs. Then suddenly one morning, Leo discovered that all the snack chairs were missing! He immediately told the teacher and classmates, who came to check, only to find their chairs were gone too! The children speculated on what happened: 

• Ian wondered if the big grey wolf had taken the chairs. 

• Aaron and Mo immediately agreed, as they found paw prints near the classroom that looked like the wolf's. 

• Audrey suddenly remembered writing a letter to a witch who replied that she recently moved and needed many chairs. Maybe she took their chairs! 

• Sophie also remembered the witch's words and asked worriedly, "What should we do?"

As a result, the children decided to band together to make some chairs for the witch, in hopes of exchanging them to get their own chairs back! Crafting chairs was no easy feat, however. What kind of chairs should they make? What materials should they use? Which parts make up a chair? The children experimented with various materials, including large Lego bricks, ice lolly sticks, and cardboard; they applied their knowledge of everyday life and their creativity to design the basic structure of the chairs; they even invited different friends to test-sit and provide feedback for further improvements.

Ultimately, the children delivered their array of colourful, self-made chairs to the witch's home and successfully reclaimed their own. Throughout this activity, the children displayed an inspiring attitude of active inquiry. They continually identified and articulated problems, and with guidance and collaboration from teachers and peers, they analysed and solved these problems. From the initial shock and confusion about the disappearing chairs to the later hands-on creation of various creative chairs made from different materials and in varying shapes, this experience highlighted the positive impact of problem-based learning.

In this process, each child learned through practice how to apply concepts to practical tasks, which involved basic principles of mechanics, visual art design, crafting skills, and an infusion of environmental awareness. The teachers deliberately created an atmosphere of free exploration and collective cooperation, consciously placing the children in a real-world problem scenario, allowing them to discover and surpass themselves through play and challenges.