Sharing our Story of Fairy Lane

This weekend I had the privilege of sharing the story of Fairy Lane with a group of Early Childhood Educators at a local conference.
             
Sharing the various activities that got us started, showing the children’s interest in fairies and the value of being out in nature.

The participants were welcomed with an adventure bag on their chairs.  In each bag held a clipboard with paper to take notes or sketch ideas for their fairy and door.  These are the same bags that the children at StrongStart use when we are on our outings.
          
Although I was initially nervous it was very enjoyable sharing the many images I have of Fairy Lane. 
             
 
And re-enacting a couple of the activities that the children had done.  I had set up an indoor Fairy Lane using the houses that were removed, from our Fairy Lane by the city.  The participants had an opportunity to explore and start imagining and planning what their fairy and door might look like.
  
Another activity was to collect treasures left in front of houses and do the same math sorting activity that the children did in the woods.

                        
I shared stories and resources that I have collected over the past few years and some that I have used from our local libraries.


Then it was time to create.
              
I spent time walking in the woods, prior to the workshop, and collecting materials.
    
        I also borrowed materials from the art shelf in my classroom.
    
            
      After collecting items they began to paint, glue and create stories. 
  

Here are some of the fabulous doors and fairies created today.
       


   

I hope, in the future, to be able to inspire more groups of educators to use their imagination to create and explore fairy worlds.

Light and Shadows

Our overhead projector is always available and we usually use the wall for a screen.  The last two weeks we’ve moved the projector and now it shines on to a big white sheet set up on a frame.
                   
                   
                We started with coloured rings, little fairies and trees.
        
The children playing with the overhead slowly made the connection with what they put on the glass with what was shining on the big sheet.  But they hadn’t yet discovered that others could see it on the other side.
   
            
We added shapes and snow flakes and watched as they pieced them together
                                   to make pictures.
            
      
We added doilies, stencils and see-through fabric.  The children were beginning to move back and forth between the light source and the screen.
             
      
Working together (a little begrudgingly) filling a stencil with jewels and coloured gems to make designs, drew more attention from the people in the rest of the room.
               
                     
We will continue looking around the room and trying different materials on the overhead.  What pieces combined will make interesting designs?  Which will let the light shine through?  Which will be solid and just a black shape?

Tape Resist

         
The children started by pulling and cutting tape off the rolls and sticking
                      it on water colour paper.
                     
One of our parents is an artist and she suggested that we stick the tape to our clothes before putting on the paper.  The lint and fiber from our clothes will take some of the stick off the tape and will make it easier to pull of the paper later.