Collaboration can often be a new concept to children as they start preschool. One way we can plant the seeds of collaboration is by encouraging shared workspaces and materials. As children engage with materials, take turns, and share space, they develop their own ideas and perspectives on the potentials of a material. By watching other children, they are also introduced to the perspective of another.

What is collaboration? Collaboration goes beyond sharing the same workspace and waiting for a turn. Collaboration is the meeting point between multiple perspectives - it’s the ideas that never existed before all the players were present. Collaboration is often a ripple effect as children’s ideas build off of each other, interweave, and transform into something completely new.

Why is collaboration important? Innovative thinking emerges from the exchange of ideas and perspectives. As social beings, we often make stronger connections when we learn alongside others. Collaboration often fosters communication and critical thinking through problem solving, negotiation, and conflict resolution. Working together offers children an opportunity to lend their skills or expertise to another which supports their self-image and confidence. They can offer a technique they have mastered to another or learn from the approach of another child on a task they struggle with.

How can we support collaboration? TIME. Sometimes the simplest and hardest things are the same. Collaboration is a process, not a product. It takes time for children to explore and experiment as they consider the possibilities of both the material itself and the potential for working alongside another. Adults can encourage children by offering the time and space necessary for collaboration, problem-solving, and the inevitable conflicts that will occur.

Helpful Phrases to Encourage Collaboration:

●      “You have this idea and he has a different idea, how might those ideas work together?”

●      “Sometimes when you put two ideas together you can create a completely new idea. Let’s try it.”

●      “Everytime we work together, our brain grows stronger.”

●      “I noticed your technique is to go from the top while her approach is to go from the side. I wonder what would happen if you tried the other’s style?”

●      “It’s okay to feel frustrated. Sometimes trying something different can be hard. Let’s think about what the first step could be.”