This was such a simple project and the children have loved getting creative! A twist on story stones that allows the children to create their own pictures or patterns. Also a great fine motor activity that really gets them manipulating their fingers and hands.
Items we used: Stones from the nursery; blackboard paint; chalk
Yes – thats all it took! I used a mixture of flat and irregular shaped stones to create interest. Then just add chalk – white, colour, thick or thin!
With the chilly winter days approaching we have been trying to bring a little of the outdoors in with some enticing play provocations. The children had great fun with our insect and spider small world play.
Each day we would add some more natural elements to build homes and hidey holes for all the insects. On one of the days we put out a basket of different textured wool and threads with some scissors to create spider webs – the children spent hours unwrapping the wool, cutting and winding it.
And of course what could be more fun than creating giant size insect shadows with the OHP?!
We have been having so much fun learning about the rainforest lately. The children have been fascinated by all the different creatures living there and by what a unique and beautiful environment it is. As our children are still so young one of the best ways for them to expand their understanding and promote discussion is through small world play. So we turned a wall on one side of the playroom into a miniature rainforest they could explore and play with.
We built up our rainforest to include a waterfall, river, mountain, trees, branches and caves. It is filled with different textures, materials and interesting items for the children to discover and handle. Loose parts are scattered all over and little bowls for collecting their findings for further discussion and sorting! Everyday I have added some new little treasures or creatures for the children to discover…
On the other side of the classroom and selection of books to encourage and engage the children…
In our outdoor area we are fortunate to have 2 gorgeous play houses. The one is more traditional and has a stove and cupboard filled with items in it. The other the children have aptly renamed the “train” with its big square windows and boxy shape!
In the warmer weather we also love to put up tents and tp’s on the grass. The children also love to play on the “island” in the centre of the creek bed where there is a more permanent wooden frame tp.
Indoors we have a odd little corner that has our indoor kitchen, workbench and reading corner. In the colder days we transform the corner with a slot in wooden board with little door. The panel it easy to slid in and remove. The children absolutely love the little door and it makes a great little space for them that becomes a hive of activity and dramatic play area!
The weather is getting cooler at school and not all days are bright and sunny anymore – the perfect excuse to get the overhead projector out and play with light, shadow and shapes!
We had an Autumn table filled with pine needles, pine cones, acorns, autumn leaves etc. the children had a great time experimenting with the different items…
Then came more fun dancing in the shadows and identifying all the different items…Slowly adding different things they could find from all over the play space!
And then some fun with a treasure hunt in the garden to find Autumn inspired elements which were sorted into different groups and then incorporated into some great Autumn clay art!
Creative Learning & Play Blog
sharing ideas on early childhood play provocations and learning environments
sharing ideas on early childhood play provocations and learning environments
sharing ideas on early childhood play provocations and learning environments
sharing ideas on early childhood play provocations and learning environments
sharing ideas on early childhood play provocations and learning environments
Ideas and Reflections from a Project Based Preschool
Inquiry-based Learning / Outdoor Learning / All Things Play
sharing ideas on early childhood play provocations and learning environments
sharing ideas on early childhood play provocations and learning environments
sharing ideas on early childhood play provocations and learning environments
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