There's something that I love about natural learning opportunities for kids. For one, it creates the perfect I-told-you-so scenario without me actually having to point out the I-told-you-so part. Not that I ever do, I'm better at working with children than that ;)
I don't even know why we have playground equipment, because all of my 5-year-olds entertain themselves just fine with the rocks.
Which brings me to, we have a rock throwing problem.
I tell children on a daily basis, "Rocks stay on the ground, if we throw them they could hit someone else and hurt them."
So, today, when exactly that happened a kid thought they'd be 'smart' and throw the rocks straight up to just rain down on their self. I redirected them again, saying basically the same thing that I had before.
So, they drop all of their rocks except one, look at me tauntingly and then toss it into the air. Before my irritation could move me toward the child, the rock comes back down goes right through the clap of the child's hands intended to catch it, and hits them right in the eyeball.
I had to work very hard to keep my face smooth. Because it was hilarious.
The child grabbed their wounded face and started to whimper. I calmly explained again why rocks stay on the ground and helped the child reflect on what had just happened, why, and how it could be avoided.
They haven't thrown rocks since.
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