In the kindergarten community, our time is governed by the rhythms of nature. The moods and interests of the children wax and wane through the seasons and even the moon cycle. (Any teacher can tell you the day before a full moon is always crazy!) A long string of rainy days can put a serious crimp in our plans, so it is best to plan ahead.
As a result, I always seem to have my eye on the weather report. Today was the last sunny day for at least 5 days, so we were determined to get outside while we could. But I had planned to do some explorations about the role of an artist...so on the fly, we adapted the plan and went outside.
We prepared by making some special paint: 3 spoons of cornstarch, about a quarter cup of water, and 2 drops of food colouring. The children enjoyed the dry slippery feel of the cornstartch, and we talked about more, less, and the same amounts.
Ready to go outside:
Immediately the children got to work turning our drab pavement playground into a rainbow! They delighted in spreading out and making art on a grand scale.
Tomorrow, as the rain arrives, the masterpieces will be cleared away. The ephemeral nature of this medium is part of the allure - do what you will, because it will be gone tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment