This month in School Age 1 at RisingOaks Early Learning | John Sweeney the children have been enjoying many different activities to foster their creativity. One activity that really captured the children’s attention was sand art. They were excited to participate and let their creativity flow. Each child was invited to create their own design on a canvas made of paper or an aluminum foil mold, using glue and colourful sand. The children carefully spread glue across their canvases, thoughtfully deciding where they wanted each colour to appear. With great concentration, they selected different colours of sand and slowly poured them over the glued areas, watching their designs begin to take shape.
Throughout the activity, the children showed focus and patience as they worked on their creations. They explored how the sand stuck to the glue and enjoyed experimenting with different colours to make their designs unique. When they finished applying the sand, the children carefully tipped their canvases to pour the extra sand into a container so it could be saved and used again. This part of the process brought lots of smiles and excitement as they watched the colourful sand fall away, revealing their finished artwork.
When I think about our How Does Learning Happen and how it connects to this activity I can see many ways in which it applies.
As the children worked together at the table, they shared materials, observed one another’s artwork, and celebrated their creations. These interactions helped foster a sense of Belonging, as the children participated in a shared creative experience and felt part of the group.
The children also demonstrated Well-Being as they carefully spread glue, poured sand, and controlled the movement of their hands to create their designs. These actions supported the development of their fine motor skills and coordination while also building confidence in their abilities.
The activity encouraged strong Engagement. The children were deeply focused on the process of creating their art, exploring colours, textures, and patterns while remaining interested and involved in the experience from beginning to end.
Through their individual designs and colour choices, the children showed Expression. Each canvas became a unique piece of artwork that reflected their ideas, creativity, and personal decision-making.
Providing open-ended art experiences like this allows children to explore materials at their own pace and make creative cjoices. The sand art activity supported the children's curiosity and creativity while encouraging focus, experimentation and collaboration.
