Our Chicken Play

For the past couple of weeks the children have been playing in our 

chicken coop.

To see the beginning of this project visit Chicken Coop Research.

The day after we painted the coop we added nesting boxes.

Shoe boxes that the children brought in.

We filled them with chicken, duck and rooster stuffies.

There were a few baby chicks too.

Then we added eggs, lots of eggs.

A few baskets were needed for collecting the eggs.

And a bale of hay finished off the feeling of being in a barn.

As the children collected the eggs I thought of a way to extend the play

and interest toddlers in the play.

I brought out the silo we had use for a farm play last year.

The tube was used for feeding the animals

but today it became an egg production tube.

So much fun to send the eggs through the tube

and collect them on the other side.

And repeat, again and again and again.

One day I noticed that someone had taken the coloured rice from the sensory table

and dumped it on the bale of hay.

A mom told me that her little one wanted to feed the chickens.

So I brought out some bird seed and let them take care of that chore.

Next week our real chickens eggs arrive.

Using Recyclables at the Easel

I've been trying to clear out my storage room knowing that I'll have more donations coming in this year.  So what to do with a box of dividers from apples?

Why not put them at the easel to paint on instead of paper.

 

Some children were a bit unsure and refused to paint on it.  
Others who were unsure gave it a try.  At first making small strokes or dabbing the paint here and there.

Or using the brush to push the bubbly part flat.

Other children were very intrigued and couldn't wait to paint on it so they buddied up.

And a couple showed quite the enthusiasm with having a new way to express themselves.  Almost like Jackson Pollock (I had a little floor clean up after).

I heard some of them telling their parents that they were making new colours.  I noticed that some had one or two strokes of paint and then stopped, while others, like the one here, was covered.  What I noticed the most is that it slowed most of the children's process. As they pulled the brush down the bubbled cardboard it swayed from side to side instead of the smooth motion they were use to.
I wonder what else we could find to paint on.  Any suggestions?

CD Scratch Art

When you were a child did you ever make scratch art using crayons?

I remember spending so much time colouring a sheet of paper 

with so many colours then covering it all in black.

It took a lot of crayons but when it was done it was so exciting to see the 

colours show through when you scratched images in the black.

This CD scratch art is the same concept but a lot less work.

I found the idea at wimp.com

First you paint old cds with black paint.  The website said

to use acrylic but I used tempera.

Then let the children use toothpicks or skewers to

scratch the paint off.

As they scratch and move the cd, the light will shine on it and they may

see a variety of colours shine through.

Our New Favourite Play Area

 A large piece of styrofoam that is covered with plastic

makes the ideal hammering surface.

The children love it.

Use it everyday.

And it lasts a long time.

Reusing Materials for a New Toy

A few weeks back I used several small boxes for our animal burrows.  

Once we were through I painted over the tops (to hide the printing)

to be used as a new toy.

 It still works as a great 'in and out' toy for the infants and toddlers.

But also as targets for throwing which is an interest for toddlers 

and older.