One of the strange things we do in childcare is set up a table with the same toy, for months on end. Why you ask, its an invitation to play. The idea is that it makes it ok for children to interact with toys, at their own pace more or less whenever they want hopefully encouraging them to engage with the activities we’ve set up. This idea is called a provocation table and it has a number of uses, lets have a look.
Play is about more than children enjoying themselves, it’s about learning to use and controlling their bodies. Think about it, a group of children playing with a threading activity is a group of children practicing fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Its also a group of children who in that moment are emotionally regulated. Remember our ‘Learning to move’ article where we discussed how movement and body control influences behaviour and therefore emotions. Emotional regulation is how movement assists children to feel calm. In that article I recommended setting up a small area in your home as a calming space, a dedicated spot where your child can calm down in peace. The provocation table acts as the invitation to rejoin play once they’ve become regulated.
A provocation table also represents consistency, its a space wherein your child can manipulate a toy, enjoy playing with that resource and then leave it out, exactly as they want it, for next time. It ‘lives’ out for a few months until an interest changes or a child wants something else. I don’t recommend playdough or clay, but most other toys will work. Whilst experiencing change and being supported though inconsistency is important for emotional development, a continuation odyssey elements that are reliably there is also important for feeling safe in the space they’re in.
In my professional experience, I recommend that you set up your provocation table within a high visibility area on a dedicated horizontal plain that is not routinely needed for anything else. It stays there, it isn’t packed away or tidied up, and it’s changed on a 11 week basis based on your child’s interest. I find that loose parts like bottle caps, bubble wrap, small boxes and concrete tubes are great toys to place on your provocation table. I’d also suggest that small wooden toys, trays and construction materials can be useful. I’ll link a few options below.
Please note the words dedicated horizontal plain that is not routinely needed for anything else, these words are important. It doesn’t have to be dedicated furniture. Kids are expensive enough without luxury extras, kid sized tables are not a required component of having a child. You just need to signal the space. Remember the faux sheep skin you brought them as a baby, or some extra space on your coffee/dining table? Any dedicated horizontal plain will do so long as it’s is not routinely needed for anything else.
Finally children don’t play unless all needs are met. This means physical, and emotional needs. If a child is regulated and not playing you need an easily accessible bridge to fill that gap that the child can just go to without getting something out. A provocation area fills that issue. I’m not saying that all toys have to be left out at all times, I’m not saying that all your child’s toys have to be accessible to your child at all times. Let me know if you want to know how to rotate toys or get more use out of them. Sometimes, we just need a sense of permission that can’t be easily resisted. And that is what I’m encouraging you to do for your child.
Last but not least activity of the week,
This week would be a great activity to set up on your provocation table or as a tough tray. It focouses on fine motor and threading skills and creats a reuseable resource.
You will need:
Cardboard tubes, like the inside of a paper towel roll.
Pipe cleaners
A single hole puncher
Using your hole puncher, fold your cardbord tube in half and punch holes though your cardboard tubes lengthways. Ask your child to thread the pipe cleaners though the holes, pull them back out and thread them back though again.