Health & Fitness
Tinkering at ReDiscover
In a time when many might like to coat their children in bubble wrap before going out into the world, an amazing camp at ReDiscover offers a new paradigm of trust, time and exploration.
For the past 3 weeks at ReDiscover, kids have worked in ways that some might expect would elicit a giant “NO!” But in the workshop of power tools and raw and found materials, there is a peaceful aliveness in the air that only can come when the mind is free to expand. Being in this atmosphere of possibility, I felt in these kids a humble confidence and willingness to try. It seemed -- in the largest sense -- that they really could take what is handed to them and figure things out.
Facilitated by ReDiscover and artist Aaron Kramer, this camp was inspired by Tinkering School -- pioneered by Gever Tully -- author of the book 50 Dangerous Things (you should let your children do). Real tools are placed in the hands of kids in a "failure positive" situation, where failure is celebrated rather than condemned. Tinkerers work through trial and error and build one skill upon another. They learn that things seldom go as planned and arrive at what Tully calls “The deep internal realization that you can figure things out by fooling around.”
Malcolm (age 10) said, “Before I did this camp, I thought it was pretty easy to make all this stuff. But really, it’s hard. Its very very very hard.”
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It's a common error to believe that, if we did everything right, we would have no problems. Instead, a close relationship is built with difficulty, moving from distance to a sense of wonder, efficacy and resiliency. Rather than signs of short-comings, problems are framed as invitations, comedies and oracles -- luring to solutions we could not have imagined from the place we began.
Aaron Kramer's work can be gleaned from his quote, “Trash is the failure of imagination.” Tinkering, plus Kramer’s perspective fit perfectly in the context of ReDiscover where materials that would otherwise be thrown away are transformed into invention and art. The importance of this is clear in a world that will demand more and more an understanding of interconnection. "Throwing away" is not a viable philosophy. Thus, life is either a wasteland of trash or an enticing canvas of endless possibility and mysteries to be unwound.
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“Most of the stuff here is stuff people don’t really want any more. Now, whenever I see something that someone says they don’t want any more, I’ll be like, ‘Yeah, I think I can make something out of that!’” -- Zoe (age 12)
What would it be like to trust rather than fear our children and ourselves to take on the admittedly dangerous tasks of our time? Tinkering demonstrates that problems and challenges have an entirely different meaning when we experience a taste of our own potential.
Please check out the links through out this post. There is way more inspiring information than could be covered here. You can do some Tinkering of your own at ReDiscover on Saturdays from 10am to 1pm. "Like" their Facebook page to keep posted on what's coming up.
Laura Fuller also teaches Kids Yoga at ReDiscover. Come do some yoga and art on Thursdays. For more info on that, "like" Yoga in Mar Vista.
