Asher and Sam are building a pool for their toy dog. They make a square using the long blocks, this is a structure Asher is familiar with building. He has built numerous pools for different play situations. Perhaps it is the shape of the pool that he swims in often or maybe he associates this wooden barrier with keeping water in, or maybe it is the shape of the blocks that guides his building. This structure becomes the base for Asher, Sam and Tegan's playground for the dog.
Tegan adds a ramp to Asher's 'pool' and shows how the dog uses the ramp to jump into the water. Samantha adds two planks leading down into the pool and Conan tops these off with an arch way. The children are observing each other and waiting to add their parts.
I ask what the block on Sam's ramp is: Asher: "A boat" Tegan goes to fetch a goose and cat: "yes a boat for the dog, cat and goose." She places each animal on the boat. Again the block becomes something imaginary. Why is it a boat? Asher decided this and perhaps it is because the ramp looks like a boat ramp. He practices backing the 'boat block' down the ramp. Maybe Asher has had a similar experience where he watched his dad back their boat down a ramp.... He is using his real life experiences to enhance his play.
Suddenly a discovery is made: The boat moves all by itself... Wow.... The slippery surface of the blocks and weight of the toy animals guides the boat down the ramp. What a discovery, the children replay this action over and over and soon realize that it goes faster with all the animals on it and with a little push... will they discover that if they make the ramp steeper it will zoom down?
Later Peyton finds the block structure and uses the ramp to test out how different blocks slide, she is very pleased with her discovery and tries 3 different blocks. Each child used the blocks to make discoveries, problem solve and imagine.
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