RIE class
Last week I spent a quiet afternoon at the RIE center in Los Angeles with four two-year-olds, their parents, and Janet Lansbury. It was so quiet and peaceful, in fact, that I nearly fell asleep.
What marked the afternoon were the things that didn’t happen, as much as the things that did. There were no tantrums. There were no struggles over toys. There was no coercing, begging, or pleading. There were no time-outs.
For an hour and a half, I had the rare privilege of seeing toddlers and their families just be.
The families came one by one into the studio, took off their shoes, and entered the play area, which was filled with basic toys: a couple small climbing structures, a ramp between the inside and outside areas, small platforms, balls, baskets, stacking rings, bags and blocks. The parents and Janet, the teacher, sat at the edges of the classroom and simply observed.
For the first twenty minutes of the class, the parents only watched their children. Aside from greeting each other, they didn’t talk among themselves. They gave their full attention to their children but allowed them to explore unhindered. They narrated when their child showed them something,
“You brought me a red ball inside the basket,” but otherwise remained silent.
The result was toddler Zen. Watch:
It was absolutely fascinating to see an activity many people normally think of as stressful, loud, and chaotic become sublimely mundane.
These are the factors that contributed to it:
- The parental attitudes. The parents there were calm and relaxed. If they had any tension, they left it outside when they entered the room. It was clear the children took their cues from their parents, and could be calm and relaxed as they explored their surroundings.
- The environment. Everything in the room (aside from the safety gate at the entrance) was simple, accessible, and easy to understand. The walls are painted a calm blue and have a few graphic prints hanging up. The toys are simple and quiet — not a single one with batteries. The furniture for the children is child-sized and safe, and the furniture for the adults is low-to-the-ground and comfortable. That type of atmosphere allowed the children to explore and learn without excessive stimulation, and it was reflected by their extraordinary focus and concentration.
- The expectations. In a nutshell, there were none. Children weren’t asked to perform, they weren’t being entertained, and they weren’t required to entertain anyone. It was an environment where the children could just be, and it was obvious they felt safe. It was a clear demonstration of what can happen when parents, children, and caregivers all have their needs met.
It was truly a profound experience, and I’m so grateful to Janet for allowing me to observe such a special time. It was a wonderful reminder of how amazing children are, and how often we don’t give them credit for being capable of calm, focused play. This afternoon proved to me how parents and caregivers can facilitate independent exploration and discovery, and be free of the conflict and chaos we normally associate with toddler time.
If you’re interested in learning more about RIE, be sure to check out Janet Lansbury’s blog, as well as the blog of another RIE associate, Lisa Sunbury. They write extensively about how RIE works and have links to many other resources. Also see Magda Gerber’s new site to learn the history of RIE and see it in action now, and the RIE homepage if you’re interested in attending classes or formal RIE training.
Photo credit: Janet Lansbury
