Hello.
This week, kids have noticed a few new activities, and a few things we have tried before. At this point in the school year, we often like to revisit some of the activities we’ve tried throughout the year. Childrens’ approaches to the activity are usually influenced by being a few months older and applying what they’ve discovered from their previous experiences. Some children fondly remember what they liked so much about the activity: the feel and texture, experimenting with the materials, or having particular imaginary play ideas. It’s also a way for us to recall some of the things that we’ve liked doing together all year.
At one table, we are revisiting “Floam,” one of our favorite tactile activities.
We are also trying watercolor painting again. This time, we’ve introduced springtime and animal stencils.
In our blue (sand) table, we are trying a new “fishing” activity. In the table, there are paper fish with paper clips, artificial seaweed and small wooden pieces to help create an underwater scene. Kids have been using fishing poles (small wooden rods with a rope and a magnet) to attract a fish’s paper clip, and then place the fish in their pails. Throughout the week, kids have helped decorate, cut out and attach a paper clip to the colorful paper fish. Some of these fish have been left in our “pond” for all to use, and some have been taken home. A few kids have taken stencils from the watercolor painting project to create fish and frogs for our pond as well. After some practice, we hope to expand this idea to fishing from a farther distance away.
Another new activity that’s been causing quite a stir is our paddle ball set up in the emptied water table. During the first few days, kids had opportunities to pass a ball back and forth to each other using ping pong paddles. Teachers also created targets in the table by using tape. Some kids were attempting to adjust the ball’s speed and direction to get the ball to land in or on the targets, or watch the ball ricochet off the sides of the table. Teachers explained that a goal was also to keep the balls from bouncing out of the table. After kids had some experience with this, teachers mentioned that we could dip the ball into paint and try “paddle ball painting!”
And lastly, there has been a resurgence of easel painting for some kids. Here is another area where we’ve seen the progression of kids’ work throughout the year!
Best,
2West