Thinking about Houses
Rachel: What is the most important rooms in a house?
Isla: I know the kitchen! Because there would be no food, and nobody would have food.
Lainey: What happens if you live in Costa Rica. There’s lots of food that you could eat raw on trees. I think the bedroom. Because you wouldn’t have a place to sleep.
Isla: I know, how about living room? If you didn’t have a living room there wouldn’t be a fancy turkey dinner.
Lainey: You don’t need a fancy turkey dinner.
Rachel: What else?
Isla: A playroom! Then the kids could have a place to play.
Lainey: No you could play somewhere else.
Isla: Not in the kitchen.
Rachel: Why not?
Isla: Because you would distract the parents.
Lainey: But what if the parents aren’t in the kitchen?
Isla: Then you can go play in the kitchen.. but if it’s too loud in the kitchen….
Lainey: You need a bed. ….There are some people who actually sleep in the dirt. Actually. And sometimes the beds can be made out of straw and could be laying on the floor.
Rachel: What is your favourite room in your house?
Isla: My favorite room is ..um, every single room!
Miya: My favourite is the playroom. Because it has lots of toys in it.
Lainey: I like my room. My room. My bedroom. Because I love my little bed.
Isla: My favourite is the kitchen. Because I love to eat.
Rachel: If you could build a dream room what would it be like?
Miya: Well I have a place where I put a night table, but it’s supposed to be a slide on it, but my room’s not big enough. And it’s right by the door.
Lainey: I wish that my room had candy in it. Candy land. Giant candy. Once you ate something it would grow back immediately. But this candy was healthy for you, and it didn’t taste bad. So you could eat as much as you wanted because it was really good for you. And there was one big fair in my room. With the candy in it. With a big tv.
Isla: I can’t tell you my wish because it wouldn’t come true.
Lainey: I wish I had every good thing in my room. Oh, I wish I had a fairy that granted me any wish I wanted, even candy lands that grew back immediately.
Rachel: Maybe you could make a fairy for this dollhouse, so whoever lives in it can have their wishes.
Lainey: Guess what, my tooth fairy lives at my house!
Rachel: What? Do you ever see her?
Lainey: No.
Isla: Nope. Because she only comes at night.
Lainey: She’s nocturnal.
Rooms. Decisions.
Lainey’s ideas come strong and fast. She knows what she wants to do, makes quick decisions, and enjoys the process of making her ideas all come together. She loves rummaging and collecting ideas and thinking about all aspects of her house at once.
Lainey: I’ve got these things at home, they’re called pocket puppies, and I want to make this house for them.
Lainey: I’ll use this for the baby room! I need a mommy and daddy room, don’t forget. I want their room to be down here. And sister room, and brother room, no, a playroom.
Rachel: That’s all your rooms, then? What about living room? Kitchen? Bathroom?
Lainey: I’m not sure yet, I’m getting all confused!
Rachel: You don’t have to have all the rooms, you can put whatever you want.
Lainey: I want an outhouse on the deck! But not a stinky outhouse! I kind of want it attached to the house, with a door there. I will put a fence of popsicle sticks so nobody falls off the side, especially the baby, if the baby’s in a buggy. Ohh this is a rather neat house, do you know why? Because the kitchen is upstairs! Not many houses have that, even in real life. ….I’m just going to finish with the wall paper, then I’ll decide what for what. I’ve only made one decision, this is the playroom. I’m better at cutting than measuring…. (after cutting wallpaper to fit) incoming! Heart’s best friend. Heart’s neighbour’s coming through.
She often paused to reflect and try to visualize her plan.
Lainey: When the baby’s asleep, trying to fall asleep, he can just look up, and there’s lots of pictures of babies sleeping.
Several changes, lots to wrap her mind around. Lots of things to consider!
Miya doesn’t say much but she is clearly engaged and working at a very productive pace. She is a conscientious artist taking great care when needed, and doesn’t lose interest with each step of the way. Over the term, she gradually opened up, expressing herself and voicing her ideas more and more as the weeks went.
Miya: Maybe for the bedroom there could be a little nightlight…. I think the fireplace could go here… maybe here. This mirror could go this way… I like it there. I’m going see if I can find something to put on my night table.
She put lots of thought into her dollhouse and thought of making a shelf in her playroom, a fire place, a fur covered chair, and a bright yellow sofa!
All in all, these girls had a great time with their houses, especially when it came time to make the little people to inhabit them!!