We could learn a lot from crayons; some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, while others bright, some have weird names, but they all have learned to live together in the same box. —Robert Fulghum, author of All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten
There is no box filled with more possibilities for discovery than a box of crayons. Think about the feel, smell, and rainbow of colors to see, with names that roll off our tongues—persimmon, cerulean, vermillion, hyacinth, burnt sienna. Do you show and read the color names to children and talk about their origins? What about allowing children to break crayons? Yes, what an incredible fine-motor task to peel the labels and to break the crayons. Did you know that these smaller broken crayons force children to grasp in that OK grip and not the fist grip? Crayons also make children work harder to put a mark on paper; markers simply glide across the page. Next time you open a box of crayons with children, take time to discover the possibilities in the pot of gold at the end of that rainbow of colors.
In loving memory of Gryphon House author Leanne Grace, MEd, we are sharing pieces of her inspirational writing every Wednesday. Leanne was the director of professional development at Hildebrandt Learning Centers and a lifelong advocate for early childhood education. She inspired the early childhood community to prepare children as lifelong learners with her ability to find the extraordinary in the ordinary. One person can make a difference, and Leanne did just that. She will be sorely missed.
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