Michael Strong asks five-year-old Ethan how he builds with wood blocks. Ethan draws plans first, measures with a tape measure, and builds structures up to 50 links tall using a toy crane. At three he built without plans; now he thinks and sketches before constructing.
Hey Ethan, how are you? So my name is Michael. Have you ever talked to somebody over the internet before? Is this weird or is it okay?
Uh, weird.
Weird? So is it like super weird or just a little bit weird?
Just a little bit.
Okay. Do you think you could get used to it and it won't be too weird after a little while?
Yeah.
Okay. Did your dad say anything about what we were going to do?
Uh, yeah.
So what is your understanding of what we are going to do?
Talk?
There you go, there you go. So I have worked a long time, I've created a lot of schools where the kids talk together at school. Does that make sense to you? So I actually like to talk to people about ideas and what they're thinking. So do you, do you ever think about things?
Yes.
What do you think about?
Um, mostly I have to think about what I want to hate, like, Noah.
Mostly? I got the first part, but I missed the last part. Mostly you like to think about what?
Um, like build— building stuff.
Oh, building stuff. Do you like to build stuff?
Yeah.
All right. Um, so do you— when you build stuff, what do you build stuff with? Like, do you build with cardboard boxes or Legos or I don't know, blocks?
I have a rock fence outside. I don't really use it too much, but I build it with wood.
Okay, with wood.
Long hand— long bars of wood.
Yep, very cool. So I always wonder, I like how different people have different creative processes. Do you think that you are a creator? Do you create things when you build things?
Yes.
Okay, so when you create a new building, do you think about it in your mind first and then build it, or do you just start moving blocks around with your hand without thinking about it first?
I think about it and then what, and then Draw the plan so I can remember it and then start building.
You actually draw a plan?
Yeah.
Like on paper with pencil or crayons? Uh, yes. Wow. Wow. I think that's really cool. You're 5 years old, is that correct?
Yes.
I don't think most 5-year-olds actually draw out a plan. So that's cool. So you actually draw it, and how much detail? Do you just draw like a tower? Do you draw a bridge? What do you draw exactly?
I draw some like hard things to build, but sometimes I mess up, but I just keep working.
So sometimes Sometimes do you draw one thing and then decide to build something else, or do you pretty much always build what you drew?
I pretty much always built what I drew.
Wow, and you're 5. Do you remember if you were doing this when you were 4?
Yes.
Do you think you were doing this when you were 3?
Yes, even though I wasn't drawing the plans out or thinking about it, I was just moving blocks around. Okay, so you think— Now I'm making that idea because it will probably help me to like make actual stuff. I used to just make like stuff that wasn't too cool, but then when I was 4, I came up with that plan and When I mean, when I was 5, I came up with this plan and now I make way cool stuff. Like I already made the rubber band one, so I have 4.
That's very cool. So it sounds like you remember the fact that you, you've kind of developed more at 5, you're more developed than you were at 3. That is, you have better plans at 5 than when you were 3. Is that right?
Yes.
Do you think that when you are 6 you will have even better plans?
I don't know.
How do you think you might be different at 6 than you are right now?
Um, I'll be older.
Okay, and do you think that grown-ups are different than kids?
No.
So your dad and you are pretty much just exactly the same?
Yeah.
Do you think that— does he draw pictures and then build things like you do?
Well, I don't know.
Ask him. Okay, so do you think that You will get better at drawing and better at building as you get older?
Yes.
Um, do you try to do a better job every time or do you just, is it, uh, or what do you, when you decide to build something, do you decide to do something bigger or different or how do you decide what to do each time?
I always I draw it out of how big I want my object and then I start building the same width or height as I draw it.
Excellent, that's really excellent. Do you ever measure? Do you ever use like a rule and measure how big you want things to be?
Yes.
So, do you use a ruler or a tape measure or yardstick or what do you use to measure?
I have a tape measure. I usually use that.
And do you both measure the drawing and then measure the real blocks, both of them?
Yeah.
All right. Do you know how tall the tallest building you've ever built was?
Probably like 5 links, 6 links, 50 links, I don't know.
Okay, do you know how tall you are?
No, I haven't measured myself.
Okay, have you ever built buildings that are taller than you are?
Yes.
A little bit taller or a lot taller?
Like, probably up to there.
Okay, okay. Um, do you like the idea of building taller and taller buildings?
Yes. At first I had to build short buildings because I was too short. To build tall ones, but not building tall ones.
Okay. Do you know what a crane is? Like a building crane?
Yeah.
Have you ever seen, like, you've seen in cities when they build buildings, you know, and they've got those cranes to carry things up high. You know what I'm talking about?
Yeah.
What if you got a crane to help you build taller buildings? Like a toy crane that could help you build taller buildings? Would that be cool?
Yeah, I have a toy crane. I haven't thought of that idea.
But imagine you could build things that are taller than you using a crane that can reach higher than you could. Maybe you want to try to get one?
I already have one. It only like reaches up to here, so I'm thinking if I see one, uh, I, uh, that goes higher than me, I might buy it.
All right.
But my toy crane that I already have is actually also pretty helpful because I can roll stuff down low if I don't feel like bending.
Oh, that sounds excellent. That sounds like a really useful tool. So this is what I mean by thinking. I like to understand how other people think. And you have explained to me how you think about building. Does that make sense?
Yes.
Was it kind of fun to talk about how you think about building?
Yes.
Okay, so I usually like to keep these short. I have been doing this with a girl and I started when she was 4 and now she is 7 7. And what happens is, as I get to know you better, then I think about all the ways in which your mind works. You know what your mind is?
What?
What do you think your mind is?
Your brain.
Do you think that— how do you— what do you use to think?
Your brain.
Okay, and so your brain has thoughts?
Yes.
Do you control your brain?
Yes.
All right, well, anything else you want to think about or talk about?
No.
All right, in which case, again, I like to keep these short, so thank you very much, Ethan, for explaining how you think about building. I am really delighted to hear about your creative process.
