Students' creativity knows no limits

The evolution of the third grade free enterprise system has been fascinating to observe. It all started with an empty metal Altoids box which one of the students used for storing her little treasures. She brought one of these small containers to school for show-and-tell. This planted the seed for another student to use one for her treasures, which quickly turned into many students transporting their treasures for show-and-tell in similar small containers. The students enjoyed looking at each other’s seashells, sea stars, rocks, spruce cones, and other nature-related items that were carefully stored in the boxes.

All it took was for one child to ask another if she would like to trade one of her shells for a special rock. To a casual observer, it might have looked like child’s play, but these two students were exploring how business works. They each had an item that had value to the other, and they wanted to trade, similar to adults trading money for an item or service that has value to them.

It didn’t take long before the concept of trading on a larger scale evolved. The little tins were taken out to recess, and the students quickly realized that upright tree stumps made perfect tables. Since the stumps were all located close together, this area of the playground resembled a marketplace, with merchants trading their wares. Although it started with only a few vendors, the marketplace rapidly gained momentum, and it wasn’t long before almost all of the stump tables were filled. The students greatly enjoyed interacting with the other merchants, who also happened to play the role of the customers.

One of the students who didn’t have a tin mentioned that he would like to play, but he didn’t have any treasures, to which another student responded, “Oh, you don’t need to worry about being poor. I’ll come with you and we’ll find some treasures you can use from under the trees.” A few minutes later, he walked back to the marketplace, demonstrating that two sticks tied together with a piece of yarn near the end worked like scissors, and he quickly traded his “scissors” for some little glass aquarium beads. These were then traded for other items, and because of his friend’s assistance and his own creativity, he was no longer “poor.” He had the kind of currency that mattered for this marketplace. He also realized that he had useful talents and skills that were valued by others.

My teaching partner and I only needed to intervene during this recess activity with a few rules: students couldn’t bring money, toys, or valuable items. We enjoyed walking through this student-created marketplace and listening to the conversations. The trading was very respectful and often began with, “What would you trade for…?” Items continued to be either nature-related or little beads. Students began building stronger observational skills while being out in nature, as they looked closely for items that might be interesting to future customers.

This trading market will probably die out as fast as it started, but the students have learned many things already. They realize that to be successful in business, they need to have something that has value to their customers. They know that treating customers with respect means that they will have many repeat customers who will also tell their friends to stop by. They have gained other valuable interactive skills as they bargained for a trade that seemed suitable to both parties.

They have also learned that many ordinary items in nature hold real value and beauty. The child who helped the boy who felt “poor” because he didn’t have anything to trade gained both a new customer and the knowledge that helping others feels great to both the one giving and receiving assistance. They also experienced how empowering it feels to create their own fun.

I have heard many people say that children don’t know how to entertain themselves anymore or say that the only games that children know how to play involve technology. I would suggest that these people spend time enjoying the wonders of being in nature with children, free of technology, and see what sort of play evolves. I hope they’re rewarded with the same level of creativity as I have witnessed.

Diana Sloan-Basner is an elementary teacher at Birchtree Charter School. She is continually impressed by the creativity children exhibit when they spend a lot of unstructured time in nature.