It's Not a Box!
Preschool
January 16, 2023
One of the books of the month for Jungle friends was "It’s Not a Box by Antoinette Portis". In the book, the narrator comments about the box that the rabbit is playing in, and is confused about to what they are doing.
However, the rabbit (and the children) respond by saying, “It’s not a box!" and in fact, it's something else. Our goal was to channel the children’s imagination and encourage them to think outside the box. After reading the book, we gathered together to think about what kinds of pretend play we could do with the boxes.
The children came up with many ideas and enjoyed playing with the boxes in many ways after decorating them together with their friends. Given such free play time, the children are given the freedom to imagine and be creative with a simple cardboard box: it's not a box, it's a car! A bed! A barbeque! They are given the agency to imagine what the box is and how to play with it.
Such playtime learning can help the children, and their teachers, discover their interests and help develop their skills.
At home or outside, ask your child, what a box, a stick, or a cloud is. Their answer might surprise and show you their unique point of view of the world around them.
However, the rabbit (and the children) respond by saying, “It’s not a box!" and in fact, it's something else. Our goal was to channel the children’s imagination and encourage them to think outside the box. After reading the book, we gathered together to think about what kinds of pretend play we could do with the boxes.
The children came up with many ideas and enjoyed playing with the boxes in many ways after decorating them together with their friends. Given such free play time, the children are given the freedom to imagine and be creative with a simple cardboard box: it's not a box, it's a car! A bed! A barbeque! They are given the agency to imagine what the box is and how to play with it.
Such playtime learning can help the children, and their teachers, discover their interests and help develop their skills.
At home or outside, ask your child, what a box, a stick, or a cloud is. Their answer might surprise and show you their unique point of view of the world around them.
Author Profile
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John - Community Coordinator Australia
Born in Hong Kong and raised in a multicultural environment in Australia, John values the diverse backgrounds that strengthen CGK's community. As Community Coordinator, he supports connections among families while keeping children's personal growth at the heart of education. He encourages learners to explore their interests and develop a lasting enjoyment of discovery and learning.