A new addition recently appeared in the Green Room: a set of nesting dolls. This toy, which naturally support a wide range of skills, including sequencing/ordering, problem-solving, and explorations of size and volume, arrived quietly and without much explanation, intentionally placed to invite curiosity and observation. We were eager to see how the children would approach them, how they might explore these classic toys, what questions would arise, and what meanings they would assign to them through play.

On this particular day, the dolls quickly became a highly sought-after material, drawing many children into a shared space. As they gathered, the room filled with conversation and collaboration.

“I have so many people in here—I have seven!”

“I want mine to be big… mine is small. How can I make it big?”

“Guys, put it in mine!”

At this moment all of the children rushed to try to put them in. We watched wondering if we should step to help with the negotiation. But before we needed to one child offered the exact right solution. “Eeny, meeny, miny, moe”, she offered plainly and it was understood who would be able to have a turn.

“I’m not Moe” offered another child 🙂

As interest grew, the children worked to navigate turn-taking and access. “May I look? May I look?”. “Say please,” another child reminded, followed by a polite “Please”. “Okay, put it in here.” These exchanges highlighted not only engagement with the material, but also growing awareness of social expectations and respectful communication.\

Soon, the play transformed beyond building and fitting. “I’m flying!” said one child, lifting the dolls into the air. Others eagerly joined in, turning the nesting dolls into flying machines. “Get a loose part that’s like a helicopter!” someone suggested, expanding the play and inviting new materials and ideas into the experience.

As we observed more closely, we realized that what mattered most was not whether the dolls were stacked correctly or the full set completed. Instead, we witnessed how far the children have come in working together, negotiating roles, remaining flexible, and building shared ideas. What began as an exploration of a material became a powerful window into their growing social awareness and their ability to learn with and from one another.