There were busy little bees in the Kereru Room practicing a new, and rather tricky skill with Trina. Villenci, Stella, Amber, Felix, Miguel, Phoenix, Maya, and Naiah tested their skills at blowing paint with straws!
Many of our children are right into exploring art and messy play, so this was a creative way to incorporate both into their play.
The tamariki discovered basic science concepts such as causing movement, mixing and the effects of blowing vs. sucking through the straw. The Tamariki used trial and error to discover the most effective ways of moving the paint, trying to blow through the straw close up vs. far away, and how hard they blew changed the amount of air that pushed the paint. It took deliberate, skillful and controlled movements in order to direct the paint across the tray.
Our Kereru friends practiced working and playing alongside each other – waiting patiently and taking turns when space became available, and sharing the paint tray. Trina and I were impressed at the social competence they displayed, as they courteously moved aside when finished for someone else to have a turn.
Its always fun trying out different activities, especially when they have the potential to be messy which our toddlers love! I wonder what we can discover and experiment with next?