Gallery of Children's Choices by Aastha Patel

Work or Play?

glidelearn — 2025-06-10 05:21:20 UTC

Walk by any construction site and you will spot kids, left, for the most part to their own devices while their parents go about their day of work. On a recent observation of this kind, we spotted a group of kids and just lingered. One particular boy, unaffected by the presence of us strangers, was occupied, filling sand from a huge pile into a bucket. He did this diligently until the bucket was full and then carried the bucket carefully to the other end, only to pour it all out, once again. We asked a girl, presumably his sister, who instead had chosen to chat with us what he was doing. “Ye kya kar raha hai?”. Her answer came almost instantly. “Woh khel raha hai” - he’s playing.Just a few 100 meters away, were his parents, doing this exact task: Filling mud into huge baskets and carrying them across; not for play, for work.

Of all the play the child could have engaged in, and of all the materials he could have chosen to play with, what made him choose this? And what does this choice tell us?

How Kids See Museums - They see magic all around!

iyervibs — 2025-06-10 05:28:20 UTC

In the picture, two children sit on a gallery floor, not looking at the celebrated artwork on the walls, but peering into a small vent near the floor, completely captivated. They see magic all around!!

What do they choose to draw?

glidelearn — 2025-06-10 05:39:58 UTC

Kia always reaches for a blank sheet and begins to draw - lately almost always - it's a rainbow with some smileys. A year ago, it used to be butterflies. I wonder - what is it that’s consistently fueling this expression, what's does she keep imagining?

iyervibs — 2025-06-10 05:44:25 UTC

They chose to play this game for hours on end over a few days till they finally got tired of it and lost interest . Why not take a break and do something else?

Is obsession a part of learning?

Big ants, small hands!

2025-06-10 06:01:52 UTC

He always wants to pick up the big ants while playing.
Something we usually choose to put them away - but that’s his choice of play. Even when I say no, he keeps reaching for it, again and again.

2025-06-10 06:40:18 UTC

Caught this scene at a palace in Jaipur - tourists (mostly teens/adults) were clicking pics, while two little kids chose to battle their superhero figures, lost in their own imaginative world. I like their choice better!

What do you want to wear to the park today?

2025-06-19 08:46:33 UTC

“Sari! Sari! Sari!”, she said.

So that’s what she wore.

They choose to take ownership of their own imagination

2025-06-19 09:08:42 UTC

Deconstructing the house to construct a FORT. They choose to be builders and own their imagination! Gathering their pillow-bricks

Same books for days on end

2025-06-19 14:26:37 UTC

In our nighttime ritual of reading books, my child goes through phases of reading same one or two books for easily 2-3 weeks. At some point I have to return them to library or insist on reading a different book just for me so we can switch books. It was the same with Bilal Cooks Dal, Rapunzel, Goodnight Construction Site, Lola and the Troll, Payden’s Pronoun Party, Superheroes Don’t Say Sorry, Bathe the Cat, or Sarah’s Eidi Bag. I’m not sure exactly why this choice of reading one book over and over again but they do seem to internalize the lessons in the books…at least for a few weeks after we are done.

2025-06-24 11:29:24 UTC

I absolutely loved this piece. - it captures something magical about childhood: those little choices that feel random but are actually windows into a child’s soul. That sticky bit of tape, a cardboard box the toy came in...it speaks volumes about how children find meaning in the everyday, and their need to connect to us, and to our 'big people' world. As a teacher (and fellow admirer of imaginative play), I feel very tenderly about this: that childhood joy is wild, surprising, and deeply rooted in simplicity. I loved this lovely reminder that children don’t just play - they invite us into their wonder...if we choose to see.