A few weeks ago, my son came home from kindergarten and shared that at recess he played with the gnome. I’m pretty familiar with the playground and the areas where kids play. There’s the little toy, the big toy, the forest, the soup tree, and the sandbox (also known as the long jump pit) but I’d never heard about this gnome.

I also couldn’t think of any supervisors that, in the eyes of a five-year-old, might have looked like a gnome.

I asked where the gnome was.

He told me it was by the trees and lots of kids were playing with it, trying to get on the gnome. My confusion must have shown, and he further explained that it had a round shape, was near the swings, and was made from metal.

Ahhhhh! The Dome. Phew.

From Hilarious to Reflective

One of the most enjoyable things about spending the day with children is communicating with them. I often hear things that are hilarious, but also clever, insightful, and reflective.

I love that at our house, hand sanitizer is called “hanitizer” and we’ll likely call it that forever.

When I taught grade 1, a student shared with me that the braid in her hair wasn’t a regular braid, but a French braid. Then she explained that the reason her mom could do a French braid was because she used to be in French Immersion.

One of our elementary teachers was recently told she wasn’t an adult because she wasn’t married, although she did have her own car. After some discussion among her students, they decided that perhaps grown-up teenager was a more appropriate term.

There is a student this year who regularly comes by the office who doesn’t remember Mrs. Schuurman’s name and affectionately calls her Office. It always brightens our day when she walks by and with a wave and a smile says, “Hello Office.”

Talking with children reminds me that one of God’s good gifts to us is our ability to communicate with one another.

What are some memorable sayings and stories that you have heard from children? Share them in the comments below.