The very first thing a group of preschoolers will do when they are allowed to play with wooden blocks is to throw them randomly on the floor, creating a big mess. My first impulse as their teacher would be to help them organize their chaos. Luckily for me, I paused to observe their process and was taught a valuable lesson.
First, you hear the tumbling blocks hit the floor, soon, their imagination would kick in, working together the children organize the wooden blocks into imaginary roads. Next, buildings began to appear, and make-believe cars would be driving through their imaginary city.
Proudly I would hear: “Teacher look!!” The children would point to skyscrapers touching the sky, vehicles traveling down city roads, and pedestrians carefully crossing the streets.
Almost everything worth doing begins with a mess. A mess of ideas, a pile of parts, a cupboard full of ingredients. With enough time and patient, the “mess” will begin to send you messages; ideas will begin connecting and the next you know the mayhem will turn into a maybe; the maybes will give way to possibilities, and ultimately your power of creation will turn it all into to the possible. It’s time to make a mess!