The activity for the very first week went so well, the children were so engaged and so many of them made multiple texture passports. They had a wonderful time getting to explore the space in a way they hadn’t before, searching for things that they thought had interesting textures and seeing the difference between how what they picked looks to their eye, feels and looks when it is stamped. It was so nice to hear just how excited the kids got each time they would lift the plasticine off the page and reveal the new texture in their collection! As the activity went on, I noticed there was a really shy girl slowly becoming interested in the activity, peering at those of us creating from behind her mothers legs. I heard her mother try to encourage her to join us but she would shake her head and if I looked in her direction she would bury her head in her moms legs to hide her face. But even though she was so shy she kept watching us from not too far away. Eventually her and her mother had gravitated towards the area where we were creating and with the help of her mother and my encouragement and excitement for her to join she was able to overcome her shyness and start to create with us. She needed her mom to stay there with her as she was still very shy, which is completely understandable since she has never met me before. As she continued to try new textures I tried to encourage her and the other kids at the table to show everyone what they created in hopes that she would feel included. Shortly after they started to show their work to everyone the girl who was shy opened up and she was super lively! She began talking and laughing with all the other kids and she made sure to show me her art and ask for help when she needed it. Once she was settled in her mom was able to leave the table and this young girl, no longer scared, now very brave, stayed until I had to leave. This experience was incredible for me as an educator and hopefully for her as well. I hope that she takes this experience with her showing her that you can do things even when you’re scared and they seem hard and that’s what makes you brave, because she was so incredibly brave! This thread of moments shows just how curious and resilient that children can be, that even when they’re faced with something that frightens them but also makes them curious they are capable of overcoming that fear and allowing their curiosity to win. Watching her go from too shy and scared to join in to laughing and getting excited for each new texture was such a wonderful experience. It reminds me of when I was younger and shy and I needed the help of older kids or adults to join in sometimes. I hope I can be that person for the kids that need it!