Over this half term, we have been developing our Expressive Art and Design skills. We have had a big focus on designing, joining materials, and creating things for a purpose. We have been repurposing items to turn them into boats. This links to our learning about caring for the environment and recycling.
Each week we have taken turns to try different activities including: designing a boat, making a 2D boat, making paper craft boats and building 3D boats using recycled materials. We hope to test these out next week, so watch this space!
We have been “safely using and exploring a variety of materials, tools and techniques; explaining the process used” (Development Matters, 2020)
Taking care of our environment is so important and reinforces lots of important messages to our children such as teamwork and respect. This week we have had some helpers take care of our garden by sweeping up the “caterpillars” that had fallen off our tree. We thought they looked a bit like natural pipe cleaners! I wonder what we could do with them all?! As well as taking pride in our learning spaces, using the tools also helps to build core muscle strength which is important for our gross and fine motor skills. We also had a lot of fun doing it!
The warm weather has seen lots of water play recently and here we are exploring and developing our teamwork and negotiation skills as we learn to share resources, listen to the ideas of others and change our plans to overcome difficulties! The water spills and splashes have been keeping us cool too.
How you can help at home:
– Can you design something else out of recycled materials eg a musical instrument?