Fairy Dramascape

Inspired by an idea that one of our colleagues shared, we helped the children to create a fairy dramascape  in order to encourage imaginative dramatic play and cooperation, especially among our girls.

First the children transformed the little people in our fine motor toys center into fairies by using materials at the art center.

We gathered various items from around the room including shells, rocks, flowers, twigs, paper grass, and  salt dyed blue to be used as water.  The children spent much time engaged at the center, exploring the materials and having lots of adventures together.

When cleaning the center after the children had left I noticed that someone also made a few of our little toy animals into fairies too!

Roller Painting

We love painting in our classroom! We are always looking for innovative ways to help our children express their imaginations, explore artistic mediums, and engage in activities that meet their developmental needs. Today we decided to have children roller paint on the top of our water table lid. This experience was especially appealing as the children had a 'canvas' that was not traditional in look or feel. It was interesting to see the paint roll onto something clear.  Needless to say it was a hit!

First the children had fun just rolling the rollers on top of the clear lid.

Then we added the paint!

Of course painting usually turns into finger painting! The children loved seeing their designs and letters written clearly through the paint!

Play Plans

We are encouraging children to plan for and reflect upon their playful learning in our classroom. Before children choose their activities we often have them engage in a 'think, pair, share' where they turn to an elbow partner (another child sitting close to them on the carpet) and discuss what they plan to do at center time. Today we encouraged the children to take this planning one step further and commit their ideas on paper in the form of a play plan. Children had to draw a picture and attempt to write words of what they were going to do. After the play period was over, we asked children to reflect on their play plans and discuss whether or not they actually followed through on what they had hoped to accomplish. Many children reported in our discussion that they had engaged in their intended activities. Those that did not explained how or why their plans became altered. We are hoping that by engaging our children in this reflective thinking we can help them become more accountable for their own learning, hear about one another's experiences in our classroom, and become inspired to try new activites in the future or enhance their engagement in old favourites. (Thanks to Mrs. Doyle for this amazing idea!)

Our Flower Shop

We have had the dramatic arts center set up as a flower shop for the last few weeks. Children have been engaging in rich cooperative learning as they have worked together in the roles of florist and customer. In addition to dramatic art, this center provides numerous opportunities for literacy and numeracy as the children's play emerges.

When the center first opened, many children spent time at the art center creating their own flowers to be sold or used as decoration.

Others used the fabric flowers we had available to create their own creative arrangements.

A few children drew pictures of the choices of arrangements that were available to customers.

Some flowers needed to be tended; watering them in large bunches was a favourite activity.

Of course we needed an open/closed sign so the workers could indicate to the customers when the shop was open for business or "closed for clean up".

Some children loved to spend time counting all the money the shop had earned.

Others liked to record the customer's orders.

This flower shop even had a drive thru!

Using the calculator to total orders was also a favourite activity for many!

The children brainstormed a list of jobs they felt were important when working in the flower shop. We helped record these ideas and hung them up in the flower shop.

Some of the Ontario Curriculum this center fulfilled includes:

2.5 interact cooperatively with others

in classroom events and activities

(e.g., offer and accept help in

group situations, engage in

small- and large-group games

and activities, participate in

democratic decision making)

4.2 demonstrate an awareness that

writing can convey ideas or messages

(e.g., ask the teacher to write out

new words for them)

4.3 write simple messages (e.g., a grocery

list on unlined paper, a greeting

card made on a computer; labels for

a block or sand construction), using a

combination of pictures, symbols,

knowledge of the correspondence

between letters and sounds (phonics),

and familiar words

3.1 recognize people in their community

and talk about what they do (e.g.,

farmer, park ranger, police officer,

nurse, Aboriginal healer, store clerk,

engineer, baker)

3.2 recognize places and buildings

within their community, both

natural and human-made, and talk

about their functions (e.g., farm,

church, hospital, mosque, sweat

lodge, arena, mine, cave)

Giant Writing

One of our children noticed the large roll of butcher paper in our room and asked if she could draw on some of it. We decided to roll out a very large piece of paper and immediately many of our children were drawn to it. They spent time engaged in shared writing and drawing. We are always interested in putting out any kind of activity that encourages our children to work collaboratively and engage in rich conversation, writing and drawing together.

Ontario Curriculum this activity fulfilled includes:

4.1 demonstrate an interest in writing

(e.g., choose a variety of writing

materials, such as adhesive notes,

labels, envelopes, coloured paper,

markers, crayons, pencils) and choose

to write in a variety of contexts

(e.g., draw or record ideas at

learning centres)

4.3 write simple messages (e.g., a grocery

list on unlined paper, a greeting

card made on a computer; labels for

a block or sand construction), using a

combination of pictures, symbols,

knowledge of the correspondence

between letters and sounds (phonics),

and familiar words