Boost From a Friend
In this video clip three-year-old Daniel is trying to climb up onto a large, cement cylinder. He says, “I need help getting up here.” Daniel may hope that a nearby adult will solve his problem by lifting him up. Soon, he decides to give it a try himself. Daniel jumps up and extends his body against the side of the cylinder, only to slide back down. Abby notices Daniel’s efforts and joins him at the cylinder. Notice that both children stretch their arms across the curved top as if to mark their goal. The children may experience a sense of irony in the fact that they can reach the top with their hands yet cannot climb up. Charles has a strategy in mind to help solve the problem. He comes from behind and begins lifting Daniel’s feet off of the ground. Unfortunately, his efforts are unsuccessful and Daniel slides to the ground. Abby decides to give Daniel’s earlier strategy another try. She also encourages Daniel to persist by saying, “Try it, Daniel. Get up.” While passing by, Lauren spots Abby and stops to help. Notice that Lauren quickly interprets Abby’s actions and without hesitation gives her the boost she needs. Rather than grasp her feet, Lauren pushes Abby’s legs as she jumps up. Daniel turns to ask for help from his peer and with Lauren’s generous assistance he too successfully climbs up on the cylinder. Consider how the challenges posed to the children by the cylinder differ from other familiar climbing surfaces (tree trunks, climbing structures, stairs, etc.). Length of video clip: 1 minute 25 seconds Keywords: Threes, Children-Children, Collaboration, Problem-Solving, Outdoor Play