Making Our Characters Alive

Based on our recent observations of our shared interests in imaginative play, we extend this inquiry towards a big idea such as “What characters are alive in our mind?” This could invite us to express our inner worlds and bring our imaginative characters into our shared community.

This idea also opens meaningful conversations around the values these characters hold — for instance,
What do they care about?
How do they treat others?
What do they bring into the world?

Through this, we can explore how imagination connects with kindness, courage, friendship, or care for nature — values we want to project and live out together.

When we come together to imagine, something magical unfolds. Through shared stories, our imagined characters begin to take life. As we share who our characters are, we also share a part of ourselves.

Each story opens a window into our values and how we see the world. In the process of being together, we listen, compromise, and build upon one another’s ideas. A character that begins as one child’s thought often becomes a collective creation shaped by many voices, hands, and experiences.

Reflecting on our shared values and togetherness, we ponder upon simple languages to discuss:
“What makes your character a good friend?”
“How do they show love?”

Hands as communicators
Working side by side offers a nonverbal language. Gestures, touch, turn-taking, and mirroring actions become social exchanges.

In moments of making, we notice how friendships grow quietly. In the exchange of tools, in waiting for a turn, in joining two pieces together. Our hands are not only shaping materials, but also shaping our sense of belonging.

Through her explanation, Emily refers to her artwork as an invitation to dialogue.

Likewise, Tvisha refers to her artwork as a point of experience. 

We watch Paw Patrol Saving Friendship Day, where the pups learn about helping each other and working together. We notice how the characters in the show solve problems by showing kindness and teamwork. We connect this to our own classroom, reflecting on how we help our friends when they need support and how it feels when someone helps us.

“I think I like Owlette … helping …” - Emily.

“Help everybody” - Luka
“They were looking for kindness” - Anthony

We create our “Hands of Friendship” mural together. Each one of us traces our own hand and fills it with colours and scribbles that represents ourselves and our friendship. The large paper becomes a shared canvas where our drawings intertwine, showing how our hands - just like our friendships- connect and belong together in our community.

It is remarkable to see how each child’s drawing becomes a window into their imagination. Through self-created characters, children reveal what they value and how they see themselves in relation to others.

This experience reminds us that friendship is built with caring hands, kind hearts, and helpful actions. Our mural now hangs proudly in our classroom as a symbol of our growing friendships and community.

When we encounter something intriguing like a bunny who likes to be part of our garden often turns to one another to share the moment. Ryan, Tvisha, Anthony, and Emily experience simple, "Look!" or "It's moving!" becomes the first thread of connection. Shared attention evolves into shared meaning.

Through this, we build emotional literacy and empathy. Realizing that others' ideas are as real and valuable as our own. Collaboration teaches that our ideas grow stronger when we weave them together.

When we make things with our hands, we are not just engaging in a craft. We thinking, relating, and communicating through materials. In this sense, hands become social tools. They express ideas, negotiate space, share resources, and connect actions with others’ actions. Through our hands, we build not only objects. We build build relationships..

Hands-on making by Dhanika through gardening offers a physical way for us to express and align our rhythms with others. When hands move in harmony, conversations emerge naturally. Identity, belonging, and community take form through material encounters. The hands often lead the heart toward togetherness. 

When we collaborate, Kalyan and Ryan observe one another’s approaches, and co-create outcomes. Togetherness emerge as we decided what to make, how to share, and how to connect our ideas.

Kindest,
Children & Friends.