Today, the children explored colour, movement, and creativity through a playful painting experience Kerren calls Rolling Rainbows. Using a couple of bins, a few ping pong balls, and bright washable paints, the children were invited to see what would happen when they moved the balls across the papers in the bins. Eloise watched closely, her eyes following the trails of colour as they appeared. She held a couple of balls in her hands, eventually tossing one gently into the bin, adding her own mark to the shared canvas. Aiden and Millie, full of energy and curiosity, couldn’t wait to reach in and push the balls with their little hands. At one point, Aiden gathered all the balls into a single paint bowl, dumped them into Millie’s bowl, and then dumped them all into the bin, watching the colours mix and move. Aiden seemed to especially enjoy mixing two different colours together, spreading the paint with his hands before heading to the second bin to blend the colours further, using the paint already on his hands. Millie and Aiden both got creative painting not just the paper, but also the bins and even the floor, laughing as they bounced the balls around the classroom. Kerren wonders if they noticed how the colours are changing and blending together. Clark seemed particularly drawn to the balls as he would grab multiple at a time and then throw them with excitement. With each bounce, paint splattered across the floor, creating spontaneous bursts of colour. Clark and Millie also explored tipping the bins so that the balls would roll from one side of the bin to the other. Zoey also explored the materials in her own way, using her hands to spread paint and transfer balls between the bins, fully engaged in the sensory experience. Kerren wonders if they realized that their own hands are making the artwork come to life. The children seemed excited to move the paint around not only with the balls, but also with their fingers. They were curious, immersed in discovery, as each child found new ways their movements could create something beautiful. As Kerren watched, she found herself wondering about their thoughts and discoveries. Kerren wonders what the children think will happen when the ball rolls through a new colour. Kerren wonders what they’re feeling as they watch the paint move across the paper. This activity offered so much learning. The children explored cause and effect, practised coordination, and experienced the joy of making something all on their own. To build on this experience, we could try painting with frozepaint cubes next time. This will let the children explore temperature, colour mixing, and movement inanew way, adding another layer of wonder and discovery to their creative play.
