Tuesday 29 September 2015

Messy Play

We are on holidays this week after a long winter term - Yay for holidays!!!

Our last day of school was so warm and beautiful, I decided we could engage in some outdoor messy play and it was a lot of fun.
Firstly, we had finger painting with shaving cream and a few colours to mix up some masterpieces.





Secondly, we had mud cooking with a variety of utensils, containers and natural materials.





Thirdly, we had Lux soap in our water trolley with whisks and containers.





If you are on holidays like me, I hope you have a wonderful time.
Niccola

Tuesday 22 September 2015

Pine Cone Fine Motor Activity

I set up an invitation for the children to explore some beautiful pine cones on the wonder table.

We have painted pine cones in the past and made a beautiful class mobile:


We have also made bird feeders with pine cones, glucose and bird seed which were lovely to hang outside in the yard and the birds loved them!!


The children could use the pine cone trees in the block area or for small world play. The pine cones could be used for sequencing, counting, ordering according to size or as a fine motor activity like we have done.

You'll need some pine cones....

some wool and some bases for the trees....



The beauty of this activity is that the pine cones can be used again and again.







I love a simple activity like this that involves natural materials.
Niccola

Tuesday 15 September 2015

10 Things I Love!!!

I have been blogging for THREE YEARS this week !!!!! Yay
I haven't missed one Tuesday post ( I even posted on Christmas Day ) and have posted 158 ideas.
Today I thought I would share 10 of my favourite things that have appeared on my blog over the last 3 years.
I LOVE nature....


I LOVE mess....


I LOVE the outdoors...


I LOVE a good story...


I LOVE playing....


I LOVE the simple things....


I LOVE recycling....


I LOVE fun...


I LOVE playdough....


I LOVE beautiful things....

and of course I love teaching!!
Niccola

Tuesday 8 September 2015

Sensory Spaghetti

This is a super easy, fun and inexpensive sensory activity that little children will LOVE!!!


To make sensory spaghetti, I bought the cheapest spaghetti from the supermarket. I boiled it for a few minutes less than the recommended time so it was quite firm, drained it and put it in four plastic bags.
I added a few drops of food colouring and a few drops of olive oil into the hot pasta and mixed it by shaking the bag.


I added different containers, scissors, chop sticks, tongs and cooking utensils and put it all in the water trolley.


Some children wanted to keep the spaghetti as it was in neat piles according to the colour but that only lasted a few minutes!!!
Soon the fun began...


Children were busy cutting, picking up, filling containers, talking, sharing, feeling, squashing, role playing, making discoveries and experimenting.....






This activity held the children's attention for a long time. It was a great sensory activity that provided many learning opportunities. When we finish playing with it, we can throw it to the chickens to eat, for more fun and learning.
Niccola

Tuesday 1 September 2015

Father's Day Mugs

It's Father's Day this Sunday here in Australia, so at school we have been busy making cards, wrapping paper and presents for our wonderful Dads. As you know, I like to try different ideas, use different materials and try not to repeat activities. This can be quite a challenge when thinking of activities for three year olds!!!

I started this activity with a plan that quickly changed once I started. My original idea was to let the children draw onto the mugs with the porcelain pen, however they would have smudged their design and it would had been very tricky to draw on the curved surface. I then thought the children could do hand prints with porcelain paint. Instead, I asked the children to draw their Dad on a piece of paper and I transferred their design using carbon paper onto the mug. They watched their drawing come to life on their mug.

1. Take a mug, a porcelain pen, your design and some carbon paper.


2. Trace the design onto the mug using the carbon paper.

3. Using the porcelain pen, go over the design.

4. Let the paint set for 24 hours and then bake in the oven according to the instructions.




Now we just have to wrap them in the beautiful paper we made, attach our cards and they are ready to go!!
I'm sure the Dads will love them.
Niccola