Toddler Arts

Wonder walking with XP

Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year!  

This is your blog, a repository of our year of studio documentation in one place. I will post what I've shared in the newsletter as well as a lot more, so keep coming back... to get the ball rolling, here is our introduction to this years research question:

It’s 1984 and I’m knee-deep in a muddy creek, beneath a blue-azure sky. Hints of willow, cottonwood, and ponderosa cling to a warm summer breeze. Wildflowers lend a breathtaking bluster of color to the almost neon green of a riparian area set amidst an otherwise parched Arizona landscape. I double over in a side-clutching, fully belly guffaw, that leaves my body shaking in delight. My younger brother has just surfaced from another dramatic plunge and emerged with two crawdads clinging to his fingers. He does a wild, crustacean dance in mock pain, purely for my enjoyment. A morning spent crawdad hunting, without any track of time, immersed in pure joy and giggling glee. This remains one of my most delightful memories. Wet, filthy, and in love with the world. Memories like these are ripe for the picking, nearly as delicious to recall as they are to create.

Why the trip down memory lane? As many of you know, every year in the studio is informed by a research question. And this summer, I did a deep dive into the art of Fun. Mainly I started asking myself the same question I now pose to you, “When was the last time you recall having SO MUCH fun?”

Really… Give it a second and watch the memory surface. Does the recollection gladden your body?  

What were you doing? Who were you with? How did you feel?

For many adults, frolicking good times can take a minute to remember. I wondered why they weren't easier to recall. Are we creating less Fun for ourselves, or is it something else? Do we consider fun important? And what exactly do we mean when we speak of FUN?  

Catherine Price in her book, The Power of Fun relates that true fun involves a trifecta of playfulness, connection, and flow. In the coming weeks, I will be breaking each of those components down, as we dive into a Year of Delight in the Studio!

In the spirit of FUN, the studio will be offering 3 playful and informative studio nights for parents. You won’t want to miss them, so mark your calendars! The first one is just around the corner on October 3rd from 5-6. I look forward to seeing you there! 

I welcome each of you as partners in our delightful journey to belonging. I have already reached out to a few parents about the possibility of collaborating with the studio, sharing something you love or a cultural celebration with the children. If you’d like to participate in this way please reach out to me and we will playfully discuss the details.  

I look forward to a wonderful year together.

Stay Curious and Full of Wonder,

Your Studio Teacher 

Angelina