10/03/2026
Last week we turned the OT gym into a nugget fort and here’s why →
Novelty.
First some background. Everything we set up is an invitation: a thoughtfully arranged space that encourages kids to explore materials in their own way. It’s child-led and open-ended, creating a space and moment to plan, create and experiment. Inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, which sees the environment itself as a child’s “third teacher,” alongside the adults and other kids in their lives. The materials and design of the environment communicate safety and invite curiosity.
There’s so much we think about when we build a space. Is it adaptable? Is it visually interesting? Does it spark curiosity? Does it reflect our values supporting children and families? For the forts, we were thinking about lighting, getting low, crawling, fitting your whole body into small spaces, and all the body awareness that comes with that. In Occupational Therapy lingo - proprioceptive input.
But why is novelty important?
Because it creates new neural pathways and that’s what learning it. Novelty acts like a biological switch that pulls the brain out of “autopilot” mode. In a familiar environment or during a repetitive task, the brain can rely on its existing, highly efficient neural networks. It already knows what to expect, so it doesn’t have to work very hard. But when it encounters something new, especially something new and interesting, that sets off a cascade of chemical and structural events. The hippocampus flags the new information, dopamine and norepinephrine surge, attention sharpens, and the brain becomes primed to strengthen connections and build new ones. This supports synapse development, expansion, and long-term developmental growth.
This is the first in a series about the invitations we set up at Trailhouse and what we are thinking about when we create them!
