We wanted to title this "Caged" but thought that might not sound so great on a daycare blog :) The small foyer that leads into the bathroom is always a great source of interest and play for the children. The majority of the time we don't let them close the door because we're afaid of smashed fingers, but on this day we sat right by the door and allowed them to close it, trapping themselves in the small space. JM was immediately energized and began to scream with delight and turn around, inspiring the other children to join in. The younger ones started to get uncomfortable so Mel moved them out of the room and pushed closer to the door so they could see her. This was a source of new excitment to the older children and they ran to the window and pressed their faces against the glass, looking at CM and Mel. This allowed the younger ones to feel safe and still share in the play.
We guessed that the children felt some sort of power over the sensation of being trapped. There was just enough security (windows and Mel) that they could enjoy their new sense of power and control over the closed-in space. It is important to provide opportunities for children to have the opportunity to experience facing things that are scary or uncomfortable with a supportive adult nearby.
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