"Strewing" with a bowl of Peacock Feathers

In my adventures on the internet the other day, I learned of the term "strewing," which is used with homeschooling and unschooling. It comes from the phrase "strew their paths," and essentially refers to a practice in which you leave various things for your children to discover on their own.

I've been strewing since Ninna was a baby, but I never knew there was a term for it. I will often leave out a hidden toy, or a bowl of legos, or some other such thing on the chicks' table for them to discover when they wake up. Or I might leave a puzzle we haven't seen in awhile on the kitchen table. Whatever it is, the chicks almost always make a beeline for the activity and enjoy it for a long period of time.

I really love this way of introducing things because it's such a low-pressure way to suggest something. I always feel like there's a lot of pressure when you bring home a new toy, or you take out a game, and you're waiting for your child to get really excited about it. Somehow they can sense the expectation, and they either fake enthusiasm (which kind of horrifies me), or they just wander off and do something else. Ninna almost never plays with new toys during Christmas, her birthday, etc. But suddenly, a couple of months down the road when she re-discovers them on her own, they become favorite playthings.

Discovering that there was a term for this and reading about it was actually pretty inspiring. A Google search of "strewing" brings up all kinds of great sites, and there are tons of wonderful suggestions of different kinds of things to strew.

I decided to expand my "strewing" from just under-used toys and games to non-traditional toys. We have lots of playthings that are not traditionally toys, but I've never really used them in this way. So I decided yesterday to leave out this large wooden bowl filled with peacock feathers the chicks' grandma sent. Both girls were enamored with them. Bojey carried them around the house and, in her typical way, pushed them in the doll stroller. Ninna, in her equally typical way, suggested an art project.

Day one of strewing non-traditional toys was a success! Stay tuned for the report on the peacock feather art project...