What Do You See?

This is a classic example of the abstract/concrete difference in children. We were at Melissa's house the other day, and Luke and Zachary were playing together. They both had a cup of dry cereal. Zachary pulled a piece of dry cereal out, and called out to Melissa and I to look at this particular piece:


Zachary: Look! This one is a "P"!


Luke: That's not a P!! It's CEREAL!!!!!


For an abstract child, things make them think of other things. For a concrete child, things are what they are. For Luke, why would you look at cereal and think of anything other than food? For Zach, why can't that piece of cereal be anything he wants it to be? Reality versus imagination. Practicality versus possibility. Both sides extremely necessary to make the world go 'round. But both sides never quite understanding the other.

That's the clearest example of the abstract/concrete difference that you can get.