ABSTRACT
It is early afternoon at Boulder Journey School, and all but two of the eight children in the infant classroom are asleep. The teacher places the two children who are awake on a large, soft carpet in the middle of the room (not in traditional pieces of infant equipment, such as bouncy chairs and sassy seats, that are intended to keep children contained, separated, and safe). The beige carpet is solid as opposed to one with a design or print, to call the children’s attention to the materials that the teacher will place on it as an invitation for exploration. The teacher offers the children large materials—cardboard tubes, wads of cellophane, and rolls of paper—materials that are similar in size and shape but different in weight, texture, opacity, and sound. She anticipates that the children will discover ways they can use the materials collaboratively. The large size of the materials beckons many small hands, versus smaller sized materials intended for individual use.
