The document discusses observations from a volcano walk with children. It notes how being barefoot allows children to experience different textures of the environment. It also describes how children repurpose everyday objects during play, such as using a lunchbox as an improvised seat. The document contains photos taken during the walk and comments that reflect on the learning potential of the activities seen in the photos, such as collaborative problem-solving or sensory exploration.

1. Some Aspects of a
Volcano Walk.
Chris Berthelsen
a-small-lab.com
With
Mairangi Bay School
Junior School
December 2013
with-mbs.a-small-lab.com

2. The ways of children show us a certain way of
living that is not stressed out or hurried, where
everything clicks into place like slow films or a
slow poem[1]
... this new gentleness offers the
possibility of creative proliferation and diver-
sity[2]
. A volcano walk along rocky and sandy
shores brings us back to a time before the
three related developments of footwear, paving
and transport. Barefoot walking reveals the
ground to be rich, complex and multifaceted
and awakens us to the fact that our primary
tactile contact with our environment is through
the feet, not the hands, and is for the most part
mediated by restricting manufactured goods
[3]
. This journey and the dexterous movements
it entails enables the development of joyous
sensory knowledge of the materials that make
up the world.
Children will play anywhere and with anything.
Through play children unfold as individuals in
the creative manipulation of their surround-
ings[4]
. A long walk outside involves chance en-
counters with familiar, unfamiliar and unknown
objects, materials and surfaces (see 0.1 A list
of stuff, p35). In working loosely with materi-
als and not just doing to them children develop
experiential knowledge and skills[5]
along a
spectrum which includes dreamlike states of
comfort, loose free association, fine-tuning of
the environment, pragmatism and adaptive
reuse, and the challenges and focus of problem
solving and making (see 0.2 Sketch for spec-
trum of activities, p36).
The most profound experiences of happiness
and love are instantaneous, sparked in brief
fractions of time[6]
. I lay no claim to competency
or special insight. Humbly, this pamphlet is one
more small experiment which recognises that
to move, to know and to describe are simul-
taneous aspects of the condition called being
alive[7]
.
[1] Certeau (1984:101)
[2] adapted from Xin Cheng in letter to Kah Bee (2013:34)
[3] Ingold (2011:16-17)
[4] Ward (1978:210)
[5] Ingold (2011:10)
[6] Neutra quoted by Xin Cheng (2013:27)
[7] Ingold (2011:xii)
Introduction Collage
based on readings-at-
hand.
1-2pm 14 March 2014

3. Look at the photos in any way you like.
Generate your own comments.
There is nothing particularly special or sacred
about the comments I have made. They are
one of many possible worlds.
In any case, I suggest you look first at the
photo before reading the words. That way you
can see it your way without being persuaded to
see it mine.
You can always look at it a second time.
(After de Bono, 1970:11)
Some Aspects of a
Volcano Walk.

4. a stone wall, a good height
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/78810828485/there-are-many-more-opportunities-for-testing
There are many more op-
portunities for (testing)
bravery than we realize.
What aspects of our learning en-
vironments become salient when we
prioritize for bravery?

5. various driftwood
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/77464657327/musical-training-is-not-one-of-the-stated-aims-of
Musical training is not
one of the stated aims of
a beach walk. Yet sticks
lend themselves to im-
provisation.
Smooth, uneven textures
and varying hefts acti-
vate the hands and fin-
gertips while offering
diverse and subtle tonal
challenges for the ears.
What might surprise us if we
actively selected improb-
able or seemingly irrelevant
learning goals for our school
outings?

6. seaweed , my schoolbag
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/77464965899/i-am-interested-in-the-contrast-and-connection
I am interested in the
contrast and connection
between grimey beach de-
tritus and cute, fluffy
accessories.
The delight of discovery
and the comfort of famil-
iar possessions.
When our objective is discov-
ery are the ‘limits of gross’
more flexible than they are in
other settings?

7. a packed lunch
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/77465771177/snack-time-can-be-a-time-for-relaxation
Snack time can be a time
for relaxation, reflection
and mental preparation.
Food is about more than
energy, flavour and pres-
entation. It is also
about personal rituals,
memories and anticipa-
tion.
What might we be losing when
we remove seemingly unneces-
sary elements of our child-
rens’ meal times (like wrap-
ping).

8. a packed lunch, a precarious situation
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/77466206208/eating-on-the-go-can-be-a-precarious-activity-for
Eating on the go can be
a precarious activity
for small and big hands
alike.
Unwrapping and consuming
a long anticipated snack
is sometimes an experi-
ment in balance, reflexes
and problem-solving. And
when a spill occurs we
witness a battle between
hunger and hygiene.
What valuable lessons and
experiences could we give our
children by preparing them
lunches packaged as intracta-
ble problems or volatile ob-
jects?

9. my own binoculars, a few friends
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/77466887858/personal-items-provide-opportunities-for-sharing
Personal items provide
opportunities for shar-
ing, collaborative ex-
ploration, negotiation,
responsibility, care, and
trust.
Breakages, loss and theft
create space for learning
to deal with grief, an-
ger, and suspicion.
Will letting our children
mold their environments by
bringing anything and every-
thing to school enable richer
and more challenging social
and physical interactions?

10. a sturdy lunchbox, an unfriendly surface
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/77468211344/the-things-around-us-are-ripe-for-repurpose-and
The things around us are
ripe for repurpose and
improvisation, especially
when trying to carry out
familiar activities in
unfamiliar environments.
A lunchbox plays a new
role as a familiar, com-
fortable, and multifunc-
tional seat.
If we celebrate the irregular
and sometimes destructive im-
provisations of our children
how will this contribute to
their development as inven-
tors and researchers?

11. my schoolbag, a wall just a little too high
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/77468641363/an-inconvenience-is-an-invitation-tor
An inconvenience is an
invitation tor explora-
tion.
In such pursuits anything
can be an assistive tech-
nology.
How do we create inconvenient
learning experiences?
What are the child-created
assistive technologies that
exist in your classroom?

12. a wall, a companion
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/77473991024/even-with-an-abundance-of-space-it-is-possible-to
Even with an abundance of
space it is possible to
create your own ‘close
quarters’ in the search
for physical intimacy.
How do we fine-tune ourselves
and our environment to create
closeness or distance in our
daily interactions?

13. a wall, a fence, an opening, something on the other side?
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/77474090459/nooks-crannies-walls-and-barriers-obstacles
Nooks, crannies, walls
and barriers.
Obstacles and inter-
stices inspire curios-
ity equally.
Where are the interstices
in your curriculum?
And are there enough se-
crets in your school’s
built environment?

14. a wall, a hand
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/77474917145/there-is-something-comforting-about-the-ground-at
There is something
comforting about the
ground at eye level.
Hands and straight sur-
faces often go well to-
gether.
What is happening at the
interface of hand and
brick? Surfaces are where
most of the action is (Gib-
son, quoted in Ingold, 2011:22).

15. a patched up crack
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/77521844748/repairs-to-the-walkway-create-a-must-follow
A ‘must follow’ condi-
tion.
I am inspired and sur-
prised by how traces
and residues of past
activities in our envi-
ronments can guide ac-
tion and provoke new
ideas.
What do we forgo when our
repairs ‘return to new’?
What might we gain if our
learning spaces were patch-
work environments that are
permanently on the mend?

16. sand, shoes
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/77475202728/a-floorscape-of-sand-affords-diverse-possibilities
A floorscape of sand af-
fords diverse possibil-
ities for subtly dif-
ferent engagement and
feedback that more com-
mon surfaces do not.
What happens to our percep-
tual motor skills when eve-
ryday surfaces are slightly
malleable?

17. my hand, an unfamiliar object
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/77516510012/in-transit-the-stance-of-the-child-is-that-of-a
In transit, the stance of
the child is that of a
collector rather than a
maker.
What does the school-in-tran-
sit look like?

18. my bare feet, a rockpool
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/78638123483/in-bare-feet-you-are-always-experiementing-with
In bare feet you are al-
ways experiementing with
texture.
Sand and rock pools turn
into resources full of
diverse textures and sub-
tle changes in shape.
Taking off your shoes
exposes your body to an
ever-changing floorscape.
We often prioritize sight and
(a distant second) texture.
How can we activate smell,
hearing and taste as integral
and casual parts of our eve-
ryday learning environments?

19. water, my shorts
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/78639423340/exuberence-and-exploration-is-tempered-by-care-for
Exuberence and explora-
tion is tempered by care
for belongings, rote be-
haviour and concern for
future personal comfort.

20. soft sand, my hands and feet
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/78639265504/sand-affords-the-chance-to-mold-our-floorscape-for
Sand affords the chance
to mold our floorscape for
comfort and pleasure that
grass, concrete or wood
do not.
Is this unconscious fiddling
or part of a hard to perceive
but deep set of experiential
skills?

21. a large log, a friend
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/78639231283/large-unwieldy-and-arbitrary-elements-in-the
Large, unwieldy and ar-
bitrary elements in the
environment invite inter-
action.
Taking on a challenge by
yourself leads to cooper-
ation, mutual acheivement
or failure, and friend-
ship.

22. sand
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/78372535577/bare-sand-can-be-fascinating-and-meditative-the
Bare sand can be fasci-
nating and meditative.
The simple malleabil-
ity of fine grained ma-
terials lends itself to
contemplative play.
How can we develop similar
experiences for our tech-
nology curriculum?

23. someone’s parent
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/78811498067/parents-are-also-mobile-storage-units-that-give
Parents are also mobile
storage units that give
children the freedom to
explore.
How do interactions change
when we start to use hu-
mans to fulfill roles that
‘things’ usually play
(rather than our usual
adult stance of outsource
trival functions to tech-
nology)?

24. my shirt
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/78084600657/what-my-wife-sees-as-a-recipe-for-ruining-a-polo
What my wife sees as a
recipe for ruining a
polo shirt I applaud as
an exercise in cozi-
ness.
Adaptive use of func-
tional garments for
frugal pleasure is
a key element of a
child’s interaction
with her ‘second skin’.

25. many bodies
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/78079482665/many-hands-and-roughhousing-make-for-valuable
Many hands and rough-
housing make for valu-
able skinship* time.
*physical intimacy

26. my legs, three-legged race ties
Construction for re-
straining oneself.
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/79503200787/construction-for-restraining-oneself

27. skipping rope, companions
“Not taking turns” offers
lessons in negotiation,
coordination and dealing
with pain.
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/78638993626/not-taking-turns-offers-lessons-in-negotiation

28. myself, skipping ropes
There are pensive and
mesmorising aspects to
dynamic moments.
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/78828362300/there-are-pensive-and-mesmorising-aspects-to

29. my father, a drink, sunlight through trees, time
Opportunities for skin-
ship* often align with
down time, shade and re-
freshment.
*Physical intimacy
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/78828584805/opportunities-for-skinship-often-align-with-down

30. my schoolbag, grass, sleepyness, shade, dappled sunlight
Repurposing resources at
hand for comfort is a key
aspect of the everyday
experience of a child.
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/79136510411/repurposing-resources-at-hand-for-comfort-is-a-key

31. bowl, spoon, plastic egg
Food is everpresent in
the DIY play of children.
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/77898461218/food-is-everpresent-in-the-diy-play-of-children

32. collaborators, sticks, sand
The collaborative process
of making a trap, col-
laged out of sticks and
sand is an endeavour I am
envious of.
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/79135674692/the-collaborative-process-of-making-a-trap

33. parent
Parents are also tools.
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/77898046745/parents-are-also-tools

34. a stick, sand, my message
The transient record of
an idea, scrawled in
sand, leaves traces of
its freshness.
(After artist Xin Cheng, 2013:28)
View more photos, and comment online: http://with-mbs.a-small-lab.com/post/79135509429/the-transient-record-of-an-idea-scrawled-in-sand

35. a stone wall
a good height
various driftwood
seaweed
my schoolbag
a packed lunch
a precarious situation
my own binoculars
a few friends
a sturdy lunchbox
an unfriendly surface
a wall just a little too high
a wall
a companion
a fence
an opening
something on the other side?
a patched up crack
sand
shoes
my hand
an unfamiliar object
my bare feet
a rock pool
water
my shorts
soft sand
my hands and feet
a large log
a friend
someone’s parent
my shirt
many bodies
my legs
three-legged race ties
skipping rope
companions
myself
my father
a drink
sunlight through trees
time
grass
sleepyness
shade
dappled sunlight
bowl
spoon
plastic egg
collaborators
sticks
parent
my message
0.1
A list of stuff
“[Everything] stores and re-
leases energy like nuts and
seeds.“
(After artist Xin Cheng, 2013:33)

36. 0.2
Sketch for spectrum of
activities

37. Chris Berthelsen
chris@a-small-lab.com
a-small-lab.com
a-small-lab is a weird re-
search, making and photogra-
phy unit based in Mairangi
Bay and Tokyo with a focus
on creativity, simple mate-
rials, knowledge transforma-
tion, frugality of needs and
the everyday pleasures of the
senses.
Collaborators include architects,
spaces for collaboration, think
tanks, independent publishers, edu-
cational institutions, artists and
researchers.
Diverse output includes university
courses, publications, presenta-
tions, digital projects, public
art, exhibitions, and physical
structures.
References
de Bono, E. 1970. The Dog Exercising Ma-
chine: A Study of Children as Inventors. Middle-
sex: Penguin Books.
Certeau, M. 1984. The Practice of Everyday
Life. Berkley/Los Angeles/London: University of
California Press.
Cheng, X. and Smith A. 2013. Distracted Read-
er #1. Mixtures: Xin Cheng and Allan Smith.
Auckland: split/fountain publishing.
Ingold, T. 2011. Being Alive: Essays on Move-
ment, Knowledge and Description. London/New
York: Routledge.